


Superstar

by shahha



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-22
Updated: 2016-06-30
Packaged: 2018-06-09 07:07:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 72,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6894913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shahha/pseuds/shahha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ashlyn Harris is one of the world's most famous musicians. Ali Krieger is a videographer hired to document her life on tour. How do they navigate developing feelings in the public eye?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Ali can't sleep. Tomorrow, she'll be embarking on a nearly year long adventure documenting Ashlyn Harris, one of the world’s most famous musicians, on her world tour. Longing to get away after her boyfriend left her for another woman, the brunette had pitched the idea to her bosses at MTV and was shocked to find out that Ashlyn had signed on as soon as the idea was presented and the contracts were drawn up. When she pitched the idea, she figured she'd end up touring with a rising star--one who is still hungry to climb their way to the top by being filmed 24/7--so she never expected to be hitting the road with a star of Ashlyn's caliber. With someone like Ashlyn signed on, Ali knows that this documentary has potential to attract a lot of attention and can be huge for her career as a filmmaker. After working as part of the film crew for  _ Teen Mom,  _ Ali is taking charge of the filming process for the first time and knows that this will allow her to build her resumé for life after MTV. Ultimately, she would like to work for a company that specializes in documentaries, using her gift to shed light on untold stories around the world. 

 

Across the country, Ashlyn is also having a sleepless night. With less than 36 hours before rehearsals are set to begin, she’s taking her last free hours to catch up on emails and her messages on her private Facebook account. She responds to Facebook posts wishing her luck on tour and scrolls through photos of her cousin’s new baby, commenting that she can’t wait to squeeze him when her tour stops in Florida, and quickly forwards a few contract related things to her agent and lawyer. Before heading to bed, she sends a brief email to Ali to verify their meeting time and place for the next day and is pleasantly surprised by the immediate response. They’ve communicated via email ever since Ashlyn signed onto the project, discussing possible questions and Ali giving a general description of how the film process will work. 

 

————-

After weeks of emailing back and forth about itineraries and film schedules, Ali and Ashlyn finally meet in person the day before tour rehearsals start. They opt to meet at a small coffee shop near where Ali is staying with her brother Kyle, a freelance photographer who will be joining them for parts of the tour. 

 

Ashlyn arrives first, orders two coffees under a different name—she’s made that mistake before—and selects a table in the back corner, largely out of view of the rest of the patrons. 

 

She’s several hours back in her instagram feed when she senses some standing above her. Thinking it might be a fan asking for an autograph, she locks her phone and looks up, a polite smile on her face. Instead of a nervous fan, however, she sees a strikingly beautiful brunette clad in a simple black tee and black leggings. “Ali?” Ashlyn questions, standing to shake the woman’s hand.

 

“So sorry I’m late,” Ali says, meeting Ashlyn’s eyes. “It took forever to get my bags at the airport.”

 

“No worries,” Ashlyn replies, dropping the brunette’s hand. “Here, take a seat. I ordered plain coffee, I hope that’s okay.”

 

The pair sit down and fix their coffees silently as Ashlyn watches Ali take in the atmosphere of the small coffee shop. Ali’s dark hair is long and pin straight, a striking contrast to Ashlyn’s messy blonde mane. 

 

“So are you excited to come on tour?” Ashlyn questions. 

 

“Excited and a little nervous, to be honest. I’m not really sure what to expect,” Ali admits with a shrug. 

 

Ashlyn smiles and sips her coffee slowly. “Not really much to expect. Tour is tour. Unexpected things happen all the time but we always figure it out,” she responds honestly. “Like one time, my drummer, Syd, missed our flight to London so we had to find someone else to drum for sound check because she couldn’t get there in time and that was a pretty minor issue compared to some of the other things that have gone wrong. We’ve had lost, stolen, and broken equipment; late visas; a stomach flu that  _ everyone  _ caught; hospital visits in countries I’d never even heard of before; and a few almost arrests that were thankfully avoided. Anything you can imagine going wrong probably has gone wrong but there’s still nothing I’d rather be doing.”

 

“What’s your favorite part about tour?” Ali asks. “Actually, wait, let me add that to my list of questions I’m going to ask you for the documentary,” she adds, quickly adding it to the notes in her phone. “Okay, now you can tell me,” she says, putting her phone face down on the table. She dramatically props her head up in her hands and smiles, waiting for Ashlyn’s answer.

 

Ashlyn laughs at the brunette’s antics. After weeks of sending professional emails back and forth, it’s nice to see some of her personality shine through. She’s only followed Ali on social media for a few days but she knows the brunette is more fiery than her emails would suggest. “Personally, I like that I get to connect with my fans and learning about different cultures. That’s why I always prefer to have at least one day off in whatever country we’re in. And as crazy as it may sound, I love how unpredictable it is; I wouldn’t do well with a 9-5 desk job.” She pauses for a moment before continuing, “the paychecks aren’t too bad either,” she adds with a wink. 

 

Ali rolls her eyes dramatically. “Make sure you mention that one in your talking head,” she ribs. 

 

“Of course, gotta keep it real,” Ashlyn quips. They settle into a comfortable silence for a few moments, each contentedly sipping their coffee. “Okay so you’ve picked my brain now I get to pick yours,” Ashlyn begins, setting her mostly empty mug down. “How is this whole documentary thing going to work? Do you really just follow me around all day and film it or do you like hide my passport hours before an international flight or bring an ex out of the woodwork to create drama?”

 

Ali purses her lips. It’s a legitimate question given the fact that she works for MTV which is notorious for shows like  _ Laguna Beach  _ and  _ The Hills  _ but this is not one of those shows and she is not one of those filmmakers. Like Ashlyn said, enough drama will happen naturally with so many people on tour. “Nope. Just following you around,” Ali responds, flipping her long hair over her shoulder. 

 

“Somehow I think I won’t mind that,” Ashlyn says before turning serious again, “so what’s the game plan? Have you updated the questions list since you last sent it to me?”

 

“Oh, yeah, I’ve been updating it constantly. I’ll send you the current list as soon as we’re done here. The plan for tomorrow is to film rehearsals and maybe take an hour or so to do some talking heads once rehearsals are finished. It’s easier to get through them when you’re not sitting there for hours at a time on a day off. How does that sound?” 

 

Ashlyn smiles. “You’re the boss,” she says with a wink. “Hey, you want another coffee? I didn’t get much sleep last night so I could go for another.”

 

“Sure,” Ali replies. She pulls $10 out of her purse and offers it to the blonde, who shakes her head vigorously. 

 

“My treat,” Ashlyn says, walking towards the counter before the brunette can protest. She returns a few minutes later, two coffees steaming hot coffees in hand.  “So what else have you worked on?” She asks as she stirs cream and sugar into her mug. “Where’d you go to school? I feel like you already know so much more about me than I know about you.”

 

“Well,” Ali begins before taking a cautious sip of her too hot coffee. “I went to NYU film school which was great.”

 

“Wow, very prestigious,” Ashlyn compliments. 

 

“Yeah, I mean, if you’re gonna go to film school NYU is a great place to be and I was fortunate enough that my parents supported my goals and helped me as much as they could. Not everyone gets to go to their dream school, especially when their dream school is in one of the most expensive cities in the world,” Ali rambles. 

 

Ashlyn smiles at the brunette’s humble yet confident response. She’s not downplaying the accomplishment, as women are conditioned to do, but she’s humble in acknowledging that she was one of the fortunate few who get to chase a dream like that. It’s a mentality that Ashlyn has been conscious to maintain in an industry that can inflate or destroy an ego in an instant. As difficult as it is sometimes, Ashlyn is careful to maintain an identity outside of her job. She wants to be the best artist she can be, of course, but it's much more important for her to be a good, trustworthy person.

 

The pair continue to discuss plans for the tour and documentary until their mugs are empty. The conversation never gets too personal, each focusing on the task at hand. The exchange flows easily, however, the paradox leaving Ashlyn to wonder how their relationship will play out over the next year. She knows how easy it is to develop deep friendships on the road and wonders if the brunette will immerse herself in the tour and the crew or if she’ll remain on the sidelines with her film crew, passive observers of the action. She hopes it’ll be the former, of course, but gets the sense that the brunette won’t be quick to let people in. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super short chapter to start this story out. I have quite a few (14!) chapters finished so I might post another tonight but first I'd like to hear (read) your thoughts. 
> 
> •Thoughts about the concept?  
> •What band and crew related jobs can you picture some of the other gals having? Many of them will be making an appearance in the next chapter  
> •Should I include dates and a location at the beginning of each chapter as a reference?  
>   
> It's my first chapter fic so I appreciate any and all feedback as I figure things out :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Filming begins on the first day of rehearsals. Ali and her crew meet Ashlyn's band and learn a bit about Ashlyn's past.

**Monday, February 1**

**LA**

 

Ali arrives early on the first day of tour rehearsals and is unsurprised to find Ashlyn already there, tuning a guitar while craft services prepares a breakfast for the band and crew. Ashlyn is facing away from the doorway that leads from the rehearsal space to the dining room and Ali finds herself unable to tear her eyes away from the musician as she stands in the doorway. She continues watching in admiration for a few minutes before her thoughts are interrupted by someone speaking behind her.

 

“Hey, Christen,” a female voice says, pulling Ali from her thoughts. Confused, Ali turns around to find a woman with light brown hair coming up behind her. “Oh, sorry,” the woman begins, stopping in front of Ali. “I just saw your hair and thought you were someone else. Are you new for this tour?” she questions. 

 

“Um, kind of,” Ali replies. “I’m actually not part of the tour, we’re doing a documentary series about the tour and I’m in charge of that.”

 

“Oh, cool, I heard about that. I’m Heather but most people call me HAO,” she says, sticking out her hand for Ali to shake. 

 

“Ali,” she says, shaking HAO’s hand. “Who’s Christen?” she questions.

 

“Christen is our costume designer,” Heather replies. “Want to go in?” she asks, gesturing to the dining hall. Ali nods and the pair make their way to Ashlyn’s table.

 

“Hey,” Ashlyn says brightly, carefully putting her guitar down and jumping up to give Heather a hug. “It’s been too long,” she adds as they break apart.

 

“It’s only been a month since the New Year’s show,” Heather deadpans. 

 

“I know, I know, but it feels like it’s been forever,” Ashlyn says. “Hey, Ali,” she adds, turning to greet Ali in a similar fashion, taking her by surprise. She’s not much for hugging, especially people she doesn’t know very well, but she somehow finds herself reciprocating the hug without hesitation.  “Did you two meet?” She questions, gesturing for the other two women to sit down at her table. 

 

“Briefly,” Ali answers, selecting the seat directly across from Ashlyn at the circular table while Heather settles down next to the blonde. “I’ve tried to do as much research as possible but correct me if I’m wrong; you’re Ashlyn’s bass player, right?” 

 

“Right.”

 

“She’s the best bassist in the business,” Ashlyn says, a proud smile lighting up her face. “Oh, you should do a thing about her bass face for the documentary. It’s  _ killer. _ ”

 

Ali laughs. “Is that what that twitter was about?” she questions. 

 

“What?” The other two women question in unison with matching perplexed expressions. 

 

“There’s a twitter, something like HAOs Bass Face that keeps tweeting me asking if I can do a feature on it,” Ali supplies with a shrug. “I didn’t know what it meant so I never responded.” The trio laughs for a second as a few other people make their way to the table. 

 

Upon seeing the new additions, Ashlyn jumps up from her seat and greets them the same way she had greeted Ali and Heather just a few minutes earlier. Before they can sit back down, Ali sees some familiar faces entering the room, seemingly unsure of where they should sit. “Liz, Becky,” she calls out, waving them over to the remaining empty spaces at their table.

 

“I guess we should do a round of introductions,” Ashlyn says as everyone gets settled in. “I’m Ashlyn, in case you didn’t know,” she adds and Ali smiles at her humility. One would be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t know who Ashlyn is but she introduces herself just the same, even adding that she’s a singer. 

 

A new arrival is the next one to speak. She had short, platinum blonde hair and looks somewhat familiar to Ali. “I’m Megan but most people call me Pinoe. I’m Ashlyn’s lead guitarist.”

 

“I’m Heather, bassist,” Heather says.

 

“Kelley,” says the other somewhat familiar new arrival. She has light brown hair, similar to Heather’s, and her face is covered in freckles. “I’m a jack of all trades: backup vocals, keyboard, extra guitarist, I’ve even played the triangle on stage once or twice.”

 

“I did not ask you to do that,” Ashlyn says, chuckling. “In fact, I think I specifically asked you  _ not  _ to do it.”

 

“I know, I know. I thought it would be cool but you were right, it was totally lame.”

 

“Damn right I was right.” 

 

“Oh, I’m also Ashlyn’s number one wingman,” Kelley adds. 

 

“You’re so full of shit. When was the last time I took you up on one of the girls you were trying to get me to go home with? You can’t be number one wingman with a success rate of zero,” Ashlyn says, a dimpled smile betraying her sharp, sarcastic words. 

 

“Hey, it’s not for lack of trying,” Kelley responds, feigning offense. “Pinoe used to bite sometimes before she met Sera. Besides, it’s no bother to me whether you take them home or not, I usually hand them free tickets to your show and take them home myself,” she adds with a shrug and a smirk. 

 

Ali’s only ever known Ashlyn as an out celebrity, so the content of the discussion isn’t surprising to her, but she does get a little bit excited at being privy to these types of conversations now. She’d watched countless interviews with Ashlyn in preparation for the documentary and always found the her personality to be captivating. Even before Ashlyn had signed on for the documentary, Ali had often cited the musician as the celebrity she would most like to have a beer with so it feels a little strange (in the best way) to be sitting here now.

 

“Wait, you bring tickets to the bar with you just to pick people up?” Liz asks from across the table.

 

“Works like a charm,” Kelley replies with a wink. 

 

“I like you,” Liz responds, grinning.

 

“Anyway, I’m Whitney. I’m tour manager and I have to keep these two,” she says, gesturing to Kelley and Ashlyn, “out of trouble. Well, as much as I possibly can. As you can tell, they’re a handful”. 

 

Ali’s so wrapped up listening to the comfortable repartee between the tour members (and Liz) that she doesn’t realize everyone is waiting for her to speak next until Becky gently elbows her in the side. “Oh, sorry, I’m Ali. I’m here filming a documentary series about the tour for MTV,” she says. 

 

After Liz and Becky introduce themselves as Ali’s assistant documentarian and camera operator, respectively, Ashlyn notes that the rest of the tables have begun to fill up. She points out a few key band and crew members: Syd the drummer and her husband Dom, a roadie; Moe the production designer; Amy the hair and makeup artist; Crystal and Julie, two of the backup dancers; and Alyssa the lighting designer all sitting at one table. Alex and her husband, Serv, both background vocalists occupy another table with Christen the costume designer, Lauren the sound mixer, and a woman Ashlyn has never seen before.

 

“Oh, that’s Tobin,” Ali fills in. “My boom operator.”

 

“Cool, I’ll have to introduce myself later,” Ashlyn notes. 

 

The conversation halts as craft services announces that breakfast is ready. People begin to file through the breakfast buffet line, filling their plates with eggs, sausage, bacon, waffles, bagels, and fruit. There’s lively conversation throughout the dining room as breakfast progresses, everyone attempting to catch up on everything they’ve missed in each other’s lives since the end of the last tour. As people begin to finish, they filter out into the rehearsal space, waiting for everyone to finish eating. 

 

Ashlyn and Ali are among the last ones to finish breakfast. When the rest of the dining hall sees Ashlyn throw her trash away and head to the rehearsal space, they take it as a cue that they should finish up as well, knowing that rehearsals will be starting in just a few minutes. Ali and Ashlyn mingle for a few minutes until Ashlyn is sure that everyone is ready, not wanting to rush anyone through breakfast. Upon seeing that the dining room has emptied, she makes her way to the stage, gesturing for Ali to follow.

 

“Okay, okay, everyone listen up!” Ashlyn yells in order to get everyone’s attention. Chattering stops after a moment as everyone looks towards where Ashlyn is standing next to Ali on stage. “I hope everyone had a nice break; I can’t wait to hear what you’ve been up to since the last tour. We’re going to get started in about ten minutes but first I wanted to introduce you to someone. I think the MTV reps had most of you sign waivers as you came in for breakfast. We’re doing a tour documentary series for them this year so we have a few extra people coming on tour with us. This is Ali,” she says, gesturing to Ali on her left, “she’s in charge of the process so if you have any questions or concerns about it feel free to ask her. Is there anything you wanted to add?” She asks, turning towards the brunette. 

 

“Yeah,” Ali replies, before turning her attention to the 45 or so members of the band and crew. “The documentary is largely focusing on day-to-day life on tour and the people who make it so great, so all of you will likely end up being filmed and asked to do interviews about your roles on tour and things that happen. You don’t have to participate, of course, but we will need everyone to fill out a waiver that says whether or not we can show your face on tv. Like Ash said, we have a couple of reps here so if you haven’t filled one out, they’ll have a table set up when we break for lunch. I have a few crew members who will be helping me film the series so if you have questions I’m sure they will be able to help as well,” she pauses for a moment, seeing Liz walk towards the stage so people can see her. 

 

“Hey, guys,” she says, waving from in front of the stage. 

 

“That’s Liz,” Ali says. “She’s my right hand so she’ll be able to answer questions too. And we have a few other people here getting equipment set up,” she adds, gesturing towards the back of the room where Becky and Tobin are setting their gear up to ensure that everything is ready for when rehearsals begin. “That’s about it.” 

 

“Alright, everyone, let’s get to work,” Ashlyn says, taking her place at center stage as Ali exits the stage and takes her place behind the camera at the back of the room. The process is slow, at first, as the band begins learning new songs for the tour. In front of the stage, Crystal (the lead dancer and choreographer, Ali had learned), Julie, and the rest of the backup dancers begin to work on dances for each song the band plays while Christen, Moe, and Whit, discuss possible costume and set designs and Alyssa works on lighting options, often asking for input from Moe and Ashlyn herself. It’s a very collaborative process, Ali notices, and she’s impressed that so many people seem to have a say in the product they put out for the fans. Everyone seems to run things by Ashlyn, who often gives her opinion but defers to her crew’s judgement when she’s not sure.  It feels natural to the filmmaker, who has collaborated with other creative people since she joined A/V club in middle school and who knows the value of everyone having input.

 

After rehearsals finish for the day and everyone else heads home, Ali, Liz, Tobin, and Becky follow Ashlyn to a small room which had been set up for interviews. There’s a small black couch set up with colorful throw pillows facing matching black armchairs. There are pictures of previous tours displayed on the wall behind the couch and on the tall bookshelf in the corner, making it look like a mini living room. A camera has already been set up in two corners facing the couch and one right in the center. Ali takes her place behind the center camera while Liz and Becky settle behind the corner cameras and Tobin holds her boom high in the air, out of view of the cameras as Ashlyn gets situated on the couch.

 

“How did you get started in music?” Ali questions after ensuring that her camera is rolling. She knows it’s a question Ashlyn has received many times, but the background is important nonetheless. 

 

“I first got into music because of my grandmother,” Ashlyn begins, “she’s been the biggest influence in my life and I always say that I wouldn’t have any of this if it weren’t for her. As a kid, she and I would sing to whatever was on the radio and would dance together in her kitchen. Even back then I would write my own songs and sing them for her. They weren’t very good at all and I would be mortified for people to hear some of them now but she always told me they were beautiful and that I should never stop writing. My parents couldn’t afford it so she paid for my piano and guitar lessons for a long time because she knew how important it was to me. She was the first person who believed in my abilities and I wouldn’t be sitting here today if it weren’t for her”. Everyone else is silent for a moment, taking in the musician’s words. As creative types themselves, they all know the value of people believing in your ability to succeed, even though the odds are stacked against you from the beginning. 

 

“Hey, Ash,” Ali says from behind the camera.

 

“Yeah?” Ashlyn questions.

 

“Just a little tip: if you make us cry after every question this is going to be a very long process so tone it down a little, ‘kay? Thanks.” 

 

Ashlyn lets out a loud, hearty laugh, a sharp contrast to her gentle speaking voice. “Noted,” she says, nodding at Ali. 

 

They spend the next hour going through some of Ashlyn’s backstory. She talks about her childhood, which was messy to say the least, and the efforts she and her family have gone through to rebuild their relationship in recent years. Ali’s heard most of the responses before, having done extensive research on the star, but hearing them in person makes everything seem that much more human. Ashlyn is no longer just the famous singer she watches on E! red carpet coverage, she’s beginning to see the blonde as a normal human who just happens to have an abnormal job, just like she does--albeit on a much larger and more public scale. She’s also impressed by the intent behind Ashlyn’s every word, her thoughts carefully measured--or practiced, though they don’t seem practiced--before she even begins to speak. Ali knows she’s in for a long year of work on tour but somehow thinks that it will feel unfairly short.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo... what do you think? Favorite parts and/or lines? How did your predictions line up with the gals' jobs? Any you strongly agree or disagree with? I took some artistic license with some if I couldn't quite place them.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rehearsals continue and HAO discusses the origins of her bass face. Ashlyn attempts to get to know Ali a little better.

**Friday, February 12**

**LA**

 

The first two weeks of tour rehearsals see lots of progress, both for the tour itself and for the documentary. The band quickly became comfortable with the songs, allowing the focus to shift towards the performance side of the show. There are still many, many kinks to be worked out before the tour officially begins in March but, overall, everyone is happy with how things are progressing and is confident that everything will come together and they’ll be able to put on one of the best tours of the year. 

 

Ali and her crew have been working tirelessly alongside Ashlyn’s band and crew, filming nearly every moment of every rehearsal. Much of the footage will be cut from the eventual hour long episodes but the film crew captures each moment as if it’ll make it to air, never knowing when something exciting or interesting will happen. After each rehearsal, they pull a different band or crew member (or members) back to the interview room to learn about their crucial role on tour. After Friday’s rehearsal, Ali asks HAO if she can hang around for a bit to film a talking head about her bass face which, as Ashlyn had promised, is truly killer. 

 

“Ohhh, so this is where you guys disappear to after rehearsals,” Heather notes, glancing around the room. “Damn, this is cuter than my living room”. She plops down on one side of the couch, leaving room for Ashlyn to sit  on the other side. 

 

“Can you introduce yourself a bit?” Ali asks from behind the camera. 

 

“I’m Heather O’Reilly, also known as HAO, and I’m a bassist for Ashlyn,” she answers. 

 

“How long have you been playing? How did you come to work for Ashlyn?” Ali questions.

 

“I’ve been playing bass since I was 14. My older brothers wanted to start a band when we were kids. I was the youngest so I was stuck playing the bass because none of them wanted to do it. The band didn’t go anywhere, just a few small gigs around town, but I loved playing and stuck with it. They all still try to say that I owe them because if it weren’t for them, I never would’ve picked up a bass which is true, I guess, but I’d never tell them that,” she explains with a laugh. “I met Ashlyn her first week in LA. I saw her flyer looking for a bassist on a telephone pole and I’ve been playing with her ever since.”

 

“I don’t think I’ve done a show without her in seven years,” Ashlyn adds. “Wait, is that right?”

 

Heather thinks for a moment. “I think so; we were right around 20 or 21 when we met.”

 

“She’s been an important part in my development as a musician and as a person. She was the first person I met here in LA so she’s been there from the very beginning.”

 

“What’s it like working for and with Ashlyn? Do you think it’s different because you’re such close friends?” Ali asks. 

 

“Working for Ashlyn is great, honestly. I feel so lucky to have the boss that I do because most people are not that lucky. A lot of this industry is driven by egos and money and I think Ash’s success partially comes from her integrity and letting everyone have a say in what the final product looks like. You can see it in how little turnover there is between tours; we all want to come back because we know we’re valued. There are some times when she puts her foot down about wanting something to be how she imagined it but even then it still feels like we’re all on the same team. I think being friends actually makes it easier because she knows that we’re honest with her when she asks for our opinion and we know that we can speak our minds.”  

 

Ashlyn smiles at her friend’s nice words. “I don’t even like to think of myself as their boss. Like HAO said, we’re a team with a shared goal,” she explains. 

 

“Where does the bass face come from? Is it intentional?” Liz questions.

 

“Oh gosh, the bass face,” Heather begins, chuckling. “The bass face is absolutely not intentional. I actually didn’t even know I was doing it until someone pointed it out to me about two years after I started playing. My one brother, who was the drummer in our band as kids, always made the same face so I guess it’s a family thing. I don’t know, I guess I just get very intense when I play so I end up making bass face. I don’t really notice I’m doing it when I’m playing but it’s always really obvious in pictures.”

 

“The face is the reason I’ve kept you around for so long,” Ashlyn quips. 

 

“That’s why I call it my money maker.”

 

“That’s the first time you’ve ever said that,” Ashlyn deadpans.

 

“True. Maybe I should start saying it.”

 

“Who from the tour do you think could do the best bass face?” Liz questions from behind her corner camera, earning a thumbs up from Ali for a good question. Like HAO and Ashlyn, Ali and Liz have been through everything together. They met in college and bonded over their shared passions and have stuck together ever since, even taking matching internships at MTV during their senior year which ultimately turned into jobs. When Ali was told she could choose a crew for the tour, Liz was at the top of her list.

 

“Not me,” Ashlyn answers quickly. 

 

“Can you try one?” Ali requests.

 

Ashlyn contorts her face as best as she can but still can’t manage to emulate HAO’s intensity. “See?” She laughs. “Trust me, I’ve tried so many times and I cannot reach her level.”

 

“I think Megan Rapinoe could do a good bass face. Or my Irish soul sister Kelley O’Hara. I think they’d be good at it,” Heather supplies. 

 

“I’ll have to ask them to try it on Monday,” Ali replies, making a mental note to pull those two aside for a moment. “I think that’s enough for the day. Thanks, ladies,” Ali says to the two women on the couch. Under normal circumstances, she might keep them around for a few more questions but it’s Friday and she wants nothing more than to get back to Kyle’s and relax with a glass (or two or three) of wine. Plus, they have a long tour ahead of them and none of her questions for Heather are time-sensitive other than getting her introduced to the future documentary audience as quickly as possible. 

 

HAO says her goodbyes while Ali and her crew carefully pack their cameras and other equipment away but Ashlyn hangs back. “Can we talk for a sec?” she asks Ali quietly. 

 

“Oh, sure,” Ali begins, “just give me a minute, I was going to talk to Tobin about something.” 

 

“Sure, I’ll stay here,” Ashlyn replies, settling back onto the couch. 

 

Liz, Becky, and Tobin make their exits and Ali follows them out into the hall, tapping on Tobin’s shoulder.

 

“Yeah?” Tobin asks, stopping and turning to face Ali. 

 

“I was just wondering how you’re doing,” Ali says. “I know you’re not from LA and I just wanted to make sure you’re adjusting okay.”

 

“Oh, that’s nice of you,” Tobin says, smiling. “I’m doing great, actually. There are some really cool people in the crew, some of them have been showing me around the city.” 

 

“Oh, really? Like who?” Ali’s not surprised, really, Tobin fits in almost anywhere she goes but she has made it a point to ask the women in her crew how they were faring in the new environment and Tobin was the only one she hadn’t been able to ask yet. 

 

“Kelley, Alex, Serv, and I went to the boardwalk the other day. I think Kelley and I are going to go surfing sometime this weekend and Christen is taking me to an art gallery tonight. Should be fun. How are you doing?” 

 

“Me? I’m doing okay, I guess. LA is a big change from New York but I’m adjusting, I guess. I have you guys and Kyle here so it’s been nice.”

 

Tobin pauses for a moment, studying the other woman’s face. “Just nice?” She prods. 

 

“Yeah, I mean, we’re working a lot. I don’t know, it’s nice,” she says simply.

 

“I know you’re the ultimate professional but don’t be afraid to let loose with these people. Like I said, some of them are really cool and I think you’d get along with them if you opened yourself up a little bit.”

 

“What do you mean?” Ali questions. “I talk to people all the time,” she adds, feeling somewhat defensive. Truthfully, she knows she could make a better effort to get to know people as well as she’s getting to know them but as a documentarian, it’s her job to maintain her distance and observe the action. 

 

“I’ve just noticed that you really only talk to them about the tour or ask them questions but you deflect a little when they ask about you,” Tobin explains, not even a hint of malice behind her words. “But I gotta go, I have to meet Christen in an hour, see you monday,” she says, and heads towards the exit. 

 

Ali stands there stunned for a moment, staring at the space Tobin had evacuated, wondering if she might have a point. She’s always been known as a social butterfly, making friends wherever she goes (much to the dismay of some of her former teachers) and she knows she’s been holding back since getting to LA. She has a feeling that she could likely be friends with many of the people on tour but part of her--a large part--is resistant. After all, they are her documentary subjects and she’s not sure where to draw the line. Objectivity is important in her line of work and she doesn’t want anyone to be able to question her integrity by allowing herself to get too close and losing  that objectivity. This had never been an issue on previous jobs and she’s not quite sure how to navigate it.

 

“You okay?” Ashlyn asks from the doorway to the interview room. 

 

“Yeah, I’m good,” Ali says brightly, heading towards the blonde. “What did you want to talk about?” She asks. 

 

“I was just wondering if you’d like to go out for dinner and drinks tonight? Nothing too fancy. My treat, of course.”

 

“Oh,” Ali says, caught a little off guard. “No, that’s okay. I’m sure you have better things to do on a Friday night; you’re a global superstar for god’s sake.”

 

“So?” Ashlyn questions. “You know what I’ll be doing if you don’t want to go? I’ll go home to my empty house and watch murder mysteries on tv while eating leftovers. I’d much rather treat you to dinner and get to know you a little better.”

 

“Are you sure?” Ali asks, softened. “You really don’t have to.” 

 

“I know I don’t  _ have  _ to but I really want to,” Ashlyn says. “Come on, it’ll be fun.”

 

Ali mulls it over for a few seconds but when Ashlyn flashes her a dimpled smile, she knows she can’t say no. She still has reservations, of course, but figures there’s no harm in having dinner together. “Okay, that sounds nice,” she says.

 

“Cool, I’ll text you the details,” Ashlyn says, still smiling, and Ali can’t help but smile back. 

 

\----

 

The pair meet up at a small pub on the outskirts of LA. Ali elects to take an Uber, in case she drinks too much to drive--still fully planning on celebrating the end of the week with some type of adult beverage--while Ashlyn arrives in her blacked out SUV, a security guard in the passenger seat and another in a car following behind them. Ali watches from the sidewalk as Ashlyn and her security guards exit their cars, hand their keys to the valets, and walk towards the building. Paparazzi swarm the musician and her bodyguards, snapping pictures that are sure to end up in dozens of trash magazines the next day. 

 

“Wow,” Ali says as she and Ashlyn settle into a corner booth, Ashlyn’s security taking the booth behind them. 

 

“Yeah,” Ashlyn replies calmly. “Crazy, huh? That was actually pretty mild.” 

 

“That was mild?” Ali questions, incredulous. 

 

“Yep; it’s actually much worse at night clubs and places where other celebrities are likely to hang out. This place is kind of like a hidden treasure so not too many paparazzi hang out here,” Ashlyn answers with a shrug as a waitress comes around to take their drink order. Each elect to order an in house beer, agreeing that it will go best with their meals and that the casual atmosphere kind of calls for it. “So you look nice,” Ashlyn compliments, taking in Ali’s simple black dress with a light denim jacket on top.

 

“Thanks, you too,” Ali replies, glancing up from her food menu. Ashlyn is wearing a white button down shirt, open at the collar, paired with dark denim jeans and doc martins. It’s a big change from the T shirts, joggers, and sneakers she usually wears to rehearsals. 

 

The waitress returns with their drinks and takes their food order: steak with loaded mashed potatoes for Ashlyn and fish and chips for Ali. They make small talk throughout dinner, each polishing off two pints of beer throughout the meal. They mostly avoid talking about the tour--they talk about it enough during the week--but Ali can’t help but express excitement for Kyle to come take some promo shots in two weeks, as the show becomes a little more polished. She’s tentative, at first, to talk too much about herself but something about the blonde makes her feel at ease. Maybe it’s the way Ashlyn gives Ali her full attention and seems genuinely interested in everything she says--even when she’s just talking about how glad she is to be in sunny LA instead of frigid New York. Maybe it’s wanting to hear Ashlyn’s laugh that keeps her talking, keeps her telling funny anecdotes--the knowledge that she’s the one making the star laugh so hard there are tears streaming down her face. It’s a feeling and a sound she can’t quite seem to get enough of. Or maybe, it’s simply that Ashlyn is great company and she’s longing for a deeper connection.  Whatever it is, she begins to open up more and more with each beer they drink post-dinner, the night dragging on longer than either intended. 

 

“Okay, so I have to ask you,” Ashlyn begins, polishing off another pint. “You know why I’m going on tour but what about you? Why’d you want to live on the road for a year filming us? It’s a great idea, don’t get me wrong, but it’s a big commitment to be away from your family and friends for that long. Are you just that committed to your craft?”

 

“Mostly, yeah,” Ali begins. “I thought being in charge of something like this could help advance my career. I’m 28 and still essentially in the same position as when I graduated college so I wanted to pitch something that could help me get ahead.” She pauses for a moment, downing the rest of her glass. “And I really needed to get away. I went through some shitty stuff last year and work seemed like the best way to get away from all that.” 

 

“What happened?” Ashlyn asks with genuine concern. 

 

“My boyfriend left me for another woman,” Ali answers, her inhibitions lessened thanks to the alcohol running through her veins. “I was torn up about it for a long time. Part of it was missing him--I wanted to marry him--and part of it was because I didn’t feel like I was good enough to keep him around. I felt like it was my fault for way too long.”

 

“I can’t imagine something thinking you’re not enough,” Ashlyn says sincerely. 

 

“Well, I wasn’t,” Ali replies, sadness evident in her voice. She wants to stop talking, to cut this off before she goes too far, but she’s beyond tipsy and can’t quite help herself. “It was so hard, not knowing what pushed him to cheat on me. Was it because I worked too much? Was I not pretty or smart enough for him that he had to leave me for a doctor? Was I terrible in bed?” she pauses, shaking her head. “He sure as hell seemed satisfied with our sex life, even up until the end and none of my other partners have ever had a single complaint about that. I just don’t get it,” she rants, getting more and more angry the longer she speaks. 

 

“Hey,” Ashlyn says, gently taking the brunette’s hand across the table. She feels bad for forcing Ali to relive some of those doubts but feels as if she’s made a breakthrough in opening up. She knows from experience that nobody makes it through tour if they isolate themselves and Ali needs to know that she can rely on the people around her for support throughout the next nine months on the road. Plus, Ashlyn would be lying if she said she didn’t feel butterflies in her stomach when Ali had mentioned previous  _ partners _ instead of previous  _ boyfriends _ \--the omission of gendered pronouns sticking out in Ashlyn’s mind. “I went through a breakup last year too but I’m sure you heard all about it in  _ every _ tabloid.” 

 

“Oh yeah,” Ali exclaims. “What was her name?” she asks, snapping her fingers as if the action will jog her memory. “Stacey?”

 

“Stephanie,” Ashlyn corrects. “I thought she was the love of my life too. We dated for a few years and I really thought she was it for me but, eventually, it seemed like she cared more about my fame than she cared about me. I didn’t notice at first--I just thought she was happy for my success and was encouraging me to do more but it turns out she thought that the more I got ahead, the more she would get ahead. She’d max out $100,000 credit cards buying god knows what, and use my name to get into clubs and party with whatever celebs she could schmooze up to, trying to use them to get ahead as well. It was really hard; I thought she genuinely liked me for me. Maybe she did, at one point, but by the time I broke up with her, she was all about her personal advancement. It sounds awful but I swear, if I was a man she would’ve gotten pregnant on purpose just to keep me--or at least my money--around.”

 

“That sucks,” Ali says. She glances at the clock on her phone and sees that she has several missed texts and calls from Kyle, presumably asking if she’s okay. “I should go, it’s getting late,” she says before looking back down to order an Uber home. 

 

“I should head home too,” Ashlyn agrees, signaling for the check. “Thanks for coming with me tonight, I had a good time.”

 

“Thanks for dinner, I really appreciate it,” Ali responds as Ashlyn signs the bill. They exit the booth, Ashlyn getting her security guards’ attention to follow, and they make their way out of the pub. As they exit, Ali’s taken aback by paparazzi flashbulbs, having a difficult time seeing past them to find her Uber. Steve, one of Ashlyn’s security guards, takes charge and leads the way, moving through the paparazzi as if they’re not even there. Finally, they find Ali’s Uber driver idling by the curb.

 

“Get home safe,” Ashlyn says, opening the door for the brunette. 

 

“You too, see you Monday,” Ali says, climbing into the backseat. 

 

“See you Monday,” Ashlyn replies as she gently closes the door behind Ali. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? Questions? Predictions? Your comments and kudos mean a lot and encourage me to edit and post new chapters ;)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ali regrets her drunken confession. Will the ensuing tension derail the progress they've made?

**Monday, February 15- Sunday, February 21**

**LA**

 

Ali frets about her conversation with Ashlyn the entire weekend. When she wakes up on Saturday morning, without the haze of alcohol surrounding her thoughts, she begins to feel as if she had crossed a professional line. She revealed too much to the blonde and resolves herself to ensuring that it doesn’t happen again. She refuses to admit--not yet, at least--that her biggest worry is that she could see herself falling for the affable musician. She’s always found Ashlyn attractive and now that she’s getting to know her on a personal level, she feels as if it’s only a matter of time before she’s head over heels for someone who likely won’t love her back. It’s in the little things Ali notices about the blonde: the way Ashlyn lights up when one of her friends (everyone, it seems) walks into a room; the way she pours every emotion--both good and bad-- into her music; it’s even in the striking contrast between Ashlyn’s tough girl look and the softness of her voice and personality. But Ali pushes those thoughts aside, deciding that she needs to keep her distance and focus on her job. Her feelings will almost certainly be unrequited and she cannot and will not allow herself to develop feelings for someone like that, especially when they’ll be living together while on the road for nine months.

 

To add insult to misery, the Sunday papers and tabloids all prominently display pictures of her and Ashlyn exiting the pub Friday night. Headlines such as “Ashlyn’s New Mystery Woman: Who Is She?” scream at her in the supermarket checkout lanes. So, on Monday morning, she elects to sit at a breakfast table with Tobin, Kelley, Syd, Dom, Christen, Crystal, Alyssa, and JJ instead of taking the empty place at Ashlyn’s table. She makes small talk with them throughout breakfast but her thoughts are elsewhere.

 

Several tables away, Ashlyn merely picks at her food. She had waved to Ali when she saw her enter the dining room but Ali ducked her head, pretending not to see her, before settling down at another table. She assumes Ali is upset about the tabloid pictures and feels guilty that she had gotten her into that situation in the first place, knowing how hard of an adjustment that kind of attention can be. After everyone else has finished eating, Ashlyn throws her unfinished plate away and meanders into the rehearsal space, finding the filmmaker setting up her camera equipment.

 

“Hey,” Ashlyn says awkwardly.

 

“Hi,” Ali replies, not even bothering to take her eye away from the viewfinder.

 

“Listen, about those pictures, I’m really sorry about that. I should’ve known that would happen when I opened the car door for you. It’s totally my fault.”

 

“It’s not that,” Ali says, finally making eye contact.

 

“Then what is it?” Ashlyn questions, confused. “Did I say something wrong?”

 

“No, no, you were fine and I really enjoyed spending time with you. But those things that I told you? I shouldn’t have done that. I have a job to do here and I feel like I crossed a professional line.”

 

“I don’t think you were unprofessional.”

 

“You might not, but I do,” Ali says. “I’m here to work, not to pour my heart out to my documentary subject after drinking too much. I crossed a line and I need to make sure it doesn’t happen again.” Her tone and demeanor are calm--detached, even--but her words have a sort of finality to them that tells Ashlyn not to argue.

 

“Okay,” Ashlyn says, dejected. She had enjoyed her evening with Ali and wanted to get to know her better but it seems as if that’s not an option at this point. She’s turning to walk towards the stage when Ali speaks again.

 

“Will you ask Kelley and Pinoe if they can stay after for interviews today? I want to finish up on that bass face piece,” she says.

 

“Sure,” Ashlyn replies.

 

\---

 

Ashlyn is tense though rehearsals the entire week. Things with Ali get more and more awkward as the week goes on, which frustrates Ashlyn to no end. They avoid each other most of the week, only speaking during interview sessions and even then Ali has Liz take over a lot of the questioning and Ashlyn is much shorter in her answers than she would otherwise be. The tension affects Ashlyn more than she cares to admit, she can’t seem to even get her super simple choreography (which is less like actual choreography and more like getting out of the way at specific times so the real dancers can shine) down, even though she had nearly mastered it the previous week. She even forgets the words to some of her own songs because she can’t stop worrying about the situation with Ali. At lunch break on Friday, she decides to eat in her dressing room alone after the tension becomes too much for her. She’s frustrated with herself, no doubt, but mostly she’s sick of walking on eggshells around Ali and is unsure of how to proceed. Before she can even sit down, she hears the door open behind her. “I’m not in the mood,” she warns, turning around to see Whitney. She sets her plate down on the coffee table and settles onto the couch, putting her head in her hands.

 

Whitney is unaffected by Ashlyn’s warning, knowing her best friend’s need to talk about things that upset her. She too takes a seat and begins gently rubbing the other woman’s back. “It’s okay,” she says soothingly. “Everyone has tough rehearsals now and then.”

 

“It’s not that,” Ashlyn mumbles, finally sitting up.

 

“Then what is it?” Whit prods.

 

Ashlyn can’t ignore the concern in Whitney’s face. After all, Whitney is her best friend and has been there for Ashlyn through some of the best and worst times of her life. At this point,Whitney is more like her sister than anything else and she deserves to know what has Ashlyn so upset. “It’s Ali,” she begins. “I don’t even know what to say--it’s so awkward with her and I’m not sure what to do.”

 

“Is it about the tabloids? Ash, I’m sure she’ll get over it. It takes a bit to get used to. I mean, how many times have the tabloids tried to say that you and I are dating?” She gently elbows Ashlyn in the side, hoping to perk her up.

 

“She’s not mad about that; she’s mad about what happened at dinner. We were having a good time, maybe one too many beers, and I asked about her life. I mean, I have to sit on that damn couch and tell her _everything_ about my life like she’s a therapist or something and all I knew about her was that she went to NYU and her brother is a photographer. So I asked about what brought her on tour and she told me some super shitty stuff about her ex. Then on Monday she told me that the conversation was unprofessional and that it won’t happen again. She’s been avoiding me all week. I don’t know, it’s affecting me more than it should. It’s silly.”

 

“First, let me say that if it’s affecting you it’s absolutely not silly, okay? You have a big heart and I know your intentions with Ali were good. You want to be friends with everyone and it’s not your fault that she told you more than she meant to,” Whitney pauses, letting those words sink in before continuing, “but you did sign up for the documentary knowing that you would have to talk about your life. I don’t know Ali very well, obviously, but I’m sure she wasn’t expecting to come into a tight knit environment where everyone knows everything about each other. People like her are supposed to be impartial observers and I think she’s just afraid she’ll lose that if she gets close to us. But I don’t think it’s a lost cause and I think you can get through to her if you talk about it. I mean, you’re known for your professionalism and yet you still open your heart to the people around you. I think you can show her that those things are not mutually exclusive.”

 

“I don’t know, Whit, it didn’t seem like it was up for discussion.”

 

“How will you know if you don’t try?” Whit asks wisely. She gently pats Ashlyn on the back  and exits the room, making sure to close the door behind her.

 

Ashlyn ponders Whit’s advice for a few minutes before quickly eating her lunch and heading back out to the stage. The rest of the rehearsal goes much more smoothly than any rehearsals this week, for which everyone is glad.

 

After finishing for the week, Ashlyn follows Ali and her crew to the interview room, as she has every day for the last three weeks. Whit also hangs around, at Ali’s request.

 

“Whitney, can you introduce yourself a bit? How did you come to work for Ashlyn?” Ali questions once everyone is ready to go. Ashlyn and Whitney are on the interview couch together and Ali is at her typical place behind the center camera.

 

“I’m Whitney. I’m the tour manager for this tour. I met Ashlyn when she was looking for a manager for her first tour and we’ve been very close since then. I always say that she’s the sister that I never had. She understands me so well and I like to think that I understand her even better than she understands me,” she explains with a laugh. “It’s nice to have someone like that when you’re on the road as much as we are.”

 

“What would you say your most important role is?” Liz asks.

 

“Making sure no one kills anyone else,” Whitney responds, causing Ashlyn to laugh.

 

“It’s true. She does roommate assignments,” Ashlyn adds. “We would be lost without her.”

 

“How would you say rehearsals are going? You can both answer this one,” Ali says.

 

“Overall, I think rehearsals are going pretty well. I’ve struggled a bit this week but we have a whole week of rehearsals left so it’ll come together. Choreography isn’t my strong suit, which is why they only trust me with super simple stuff, but I get it in the end.”

 

“I think it’s going really well,” Whit answers. “Christen almost has all the costumes ready, and Alyssa has a lot of the light show set too. Next week is going to be all about putting everything together and making some final tweaks. It’s a very collaborative process which is nice.”

 

Ali is about to ask the next question when Liz begins to speak, “one thing I’ve noticed is how much respect your band and crew seem to have for you, Ashlyn. We’ve interviewed a lot of people and everyone says the same wonderful things about you and how you run the tour. Why do you think that is?”

 

“It’s because I actually talk to them,” Ashlyn says without thinking. “They wouldn’t have half the respect for me as they do if I didn’t try to connect to them and I know I’d be miserable if I went on tour and was closed off to the people around me. None of my favorite tour memories would even exist if I kept to myself--not a single one of them.” She stares at Ali the entire time she speaks and, when she’s finished, Ali jumps out of her chair and begins haphazardly packing her camera equipment.

 

“See you guys Monday,” Ali says, zipping her camera bag and slinging it over her shoulder.

 

“What the hell was that,” Whitney hisses at Ashlyn as Ali quickly exits the room. “I know I told you to talk to her but Jesus, Ash, that’s not what I meant”.

 

“I’m sorry,” Ashlyn begins, “it just slipped out--I didn’t mean to sound so harsh”.

 

“Stay here, I’ll go talk to her,” Liz says, jogging out of the room.

 

Ali is loading her equipment in her car by the time Liz catches up to her, cursing herself for not sticking to her New Year's fitness resolution as she struggled to catch up with her friend. “You okay?” she asks, cringing as Ali slams her trunk shut. Ali looks up, and Liz can’t help but notice the tears threatening to roll down her face. “Hey, what’s wrong? You guys have been acting strange all week. Talk to me, Al,” she says, gently squeezing  Ali’s hand.

 

“I’m scared, Liz,” Ali says meekly. “I’m afraid that I’ll get too close and then what? The tour ends and I go back to New York and Ashlyn back to LA and she’ll forget about me because she’s this mega star and I’m just Ali from MTV. Plus, this is my first time being in charge of a show and I really don’t want to screw it up by being unprofessional.”

 

“Is that why you haven’t been talking to anyone?” Liz asks and Ali nods. “Listen, it’s not unprofessional to let people to get to know you, okay? Look at Tobin, she fits in so well that I’ve heard both Ashlyn and HAO trying to reminisce with her about stuff from previous tours and she and Christen are practically attached at the hip. Do you think she’s being unprofessional?”

 

“Well, no,” Ali says, crossing her arms over her chest. “But that doesn’t change the fact that we’re just temporary additions and we’ll probably never see these people again.”

 

“Ali, I know you well enough to know that’s not it. What else is going on?” Liz asks.

 

Ali takes a deep breath and Liz smiles, knowing she’s gotten through to her.

 

“I told Ashlyn about Jeff,” she confesses. “And you know that you, Kyle, and my parents are the only ones who really know what happened there. I don’t know, I guess I felt like I was getting too comfortable too quickly and what even am I to Ashlyn? She has so many people in her life I don’t need to be bringing out my baggage too.”

 

“You like her,” Liz states quietly, as her tone will lessen the power of her words. She’s known Ali for ten years now and is certain that she’s correct in her assumption but doesn’t want to push Ali too hard.

 

Ali looks at her as if she has two heads. “I--Liz..” she stammers, not knowing what to say. She’s not surprised Liz has such a good read on her but she doesn’t fully understand her feelings herself yet so her words still come as a shock.

 

“Look, you don’t have to say anything but I’m going to be honest here because I’m your best friend and that’s my job: I know you hate feeling vulnerable and don’t want to get hurt, especially after Jeff, but Ashlyn is one of the few people I’ve ever met who has a heart that’s as big and loving as yours, okay? Shit, she’s even best friends with everyone from craft services and constantly asks them how they’re doing. You really think she’ll just forget about you after this is over? Girl, please. Even if she doesn’t like you back, although I’m certain she will, she’s a good person to have in your corner and you shouldn’t throw that away because you’re afraid.”

 

Ali sighs, taking in Liz’s words. “I guess you’re right. Thanks, Liz.”

 

“Oh, I’m not done,” Liz continues, “now, I know she didn’t go about that the right way but she _is_ right, Al. You can’t be closed off this whole tour and expect to have a good time. You need to let yourself enjoy the moment or you’re going to regret it as soon as the tour is over. I can assure you that none of our bosses expect us to just sit in a corner the whole time, got it?”

 

“Yes,” Ali says, shuffling her feet a little.

 

“Good,” Liz smiles. “Now you can thank me.”

 

Ali rolls her eyes, “thanks, Liz,” she says, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

 

“You’re welcome. Now let’s go back inside so you two can talk about this and everyone can move on.”

 

The two women head back to the interview room and are unsurprised to find Tobin, Becky, Whitney, and Ashlyn all sitting awkwardly, waiting for Liz and Ali.

 

“Can we talk?” Ali asks Ashlyn quietly.

 

Ashlyn nods and follows Ali out into the hallway. “I’m so sorry,” Ashlyn says as she closes the door behind them. “I was out of line.”

 

“I’m sorry too,” Ali admits. “It’s my first time leading a film crew and I wanted to be professional and make a good impression on my bosses but I think I took it too far.”

 

“Maybe a little,” Ashlyn quips, smirking at the brunette. “Look, I get that you have a job to do and I shouldn’t have acted the way I did. I was frustrated because I have to talk about my entire life for the documentary and I wanted--want--to get to know you too. Honestly, I really would like to get to know you but I understand if you want to maintain some boundaries. Hell, I have my own boundaries too; do you know how hard it is to fire someone mid-tour because they kept getting drunk and destroying hotel rooms?”

 

“You’ve fired people before?” Ali asks, dumbfounded. Ashlyn seems so close to her crew that it’s hard to imagine her firing people.

 

“Of course,” Ashlyn responds. “Sometimes people aren’t a good fit and sometimes people cause trouble and aren’t good for my image, like the guy I fired during the last tour. As much as I try to be friends with my crew, we all still have a job to do and it’s not something I take lightly.”

 

“And what happens after tour? Do you keep in contact with everyone?”

 

Ashlyn pauses for a moment, positive that they’re getting to the real root of the issue. “Of course,” she says. “Not as much as when we’re living on top of each other but certainly enough. These people are some of my closest friends and we share experiences that no one else has. Shit, I’ve been a bridesmaid in so many of these nerds’ weddings it isn’t even funny. Trust me, you’re stuck with us for a while.”

 

“Okay,” Ali says, smiling. “Thanks,” she adds.

 

The pair stand there in silence for a few moments. “So, friends?” Ashlyn asks, sticking out her hand for Ali to shake. Ali doesn’t take it immediately, prompting Ashlyn to continue, “come on, I don’t bite… except in bed,” she adds with a wink.

 

Ali rolls her eyes. “You’re too much.” She reaches for Ashlyn’s hand but instead finds herself enveloped in one of the blonde’s famous bear hugs. “I knew you were going to do that,” Ali says, faux annoyed as they break apart.

 

“Sorry, can’t help myself sometimes.” Again, both women are quiet for a few moments and again it’s Ashlyn who breaks the silence, “should we go back in there and finish filming?”

 

“No, we can pick up again on Monday. I really don’t feel like dragging my equipment out of my car,” she says, earning a hearty laugh from Ashlyn.

 

“Right, of course,” Ashlyn agrees, reaching for the door handle. She opens the door and laughs at the sight of four grown women jumping away from the door and back into their seats in a futile attempt to pretend they weren’t eavesdropping. “Nice, guys,” she says.

 

“Nice what?” Liz asks innocently. “We were just sitting here chatting,” she says, looking around the room for backup from the other women.

 

“Yep,” Whitney confirms. “Just talking.”

 

“Bullshit,”Ali says, laughing from the doorway. “We’re done for the week,” she adds, watching as her crew packs up their equipment.

 

“You good?” Liz questions Ali as all six women head out towards their cars.

 

“Yeah, Thanks for getting through to me; you’re the best,” Ali says sincerely.

 

“It’s what I’m here for,” Liz responds, loading her equipment in her trunk. “See you next week.”

 

“See you next week.”

 

Ali returns to Kyle’s apartment and fills him in on the events of the week, including the gritty ones she had glossed over for the last four days. He agrees with Liz and Ashlyn, mostly, but expresses sympathy for Ali’s position throughout the ordeal. Ali’s just getting into bed for the night when her phone lights up with a text from Ashlyn.

 

_Ashlyn: Lakers game with a bunch of the crew Sunday night. Wanna come?_

_Ashlyn: have an extra courtside seat_

_Ashlyn: Syd can’t make it_

_Ali: sounds fun_

_Ali: who else is going?_

_Ashlyn: what you mean I’m not enough of an incentive for you? I’m crushed_

_Ali: I just rolled my eyes out of my head_

_Ashlyn: it’s HAO, Kelley, Christen, Alex, Tobin, Whit, Crystal, and Pinoe_

_Ashlyn: and me of course_

_Ali: of course ;)_

_Ashlyn: so you’re in?_

_Ali: yep. Just text me where to be and when_

_Ashlyn: cool can’t wait_

 

\---

 

Ali sleeps in the next two mornings, feeling more relaxed than she has in a week. On Sunday, she and Kyle finally take Kyle’s dog, Luna, on a hike instead of merely talking about it as they had done each weekend since Ali arrived in LA. They chat some of the way but a lot of it is spent in silence, allowing Ali to really process everything she had been feeling throughout the week. Thoughts about the nature of her feelings for the musician float vaguely through the back of her mind before she consciously forces herself to think about something--anything--else, pushing those thoughts further into the recesses of her mind, not wanting anything to get in the way of their recent truce or blossoming friendship.

 

Once back at Kyle’s, Ali takes a quick shower and selects an outfit for the night: a loose nike blackout tee, black leggings, and taupe heeled ankle boots. Everyone meets just outside the gates, entering the arena as a group. As soon as their tickets are scanned, they’re promptly ushered to their courtside seats, Ashlyn’s security flanking her as they walk through the packed Staples Center. Ali’s never been this close to a basketball game before, save for high school games, so she’s amazed at the view when she sits down. She can’t believe how much taller the players look in person, which she whispers to Ashlyn who is sitting to her left.

 

“Yeah, you’ll be really surprised when we meet them after,” she whispers back.

 

“We’re what?” Ali asks in disbelief.

 

“Oh, I didn’t tell you?”Ashlyn questions, knowing that she intentionally left out that detail to surprise the brunette. “We get to go back after the game is over and meet some of the team,” she explains with grin at Ali’s shocked expression. “Hey, you’re rolling with me now, better get used to this kind of stuff.”

 

“I guess so,” Ali replies before turning her attention to Tobin on her right. “How’s your weekend been?” she questions.

 

“Good,” Tobin replies simply. “Went surfing with Ash and Kel yesterday and went to yoga this morning.”

 

“Yoga? Since when do you do yoga?”

 

“A lot of people here do it.” She shrugs before continuing, “so I figured I might as well try.”

 

Ali’s about to reply when the lights go out and the teams begin to run out, the crowd screaming so loud that it would be futile to attempt to carry on a conversation. So she watches and cheers with the rest of the crowd through introductions. She and Ashlyn make comments about plays throughout the game but mostly stay focused on the action in front of them. After the game, on the way to meet the players, Ashlyn notes that they’ll be playing three shows at the Staples Center near the end of the tour.

 

At Ashlyn’s words, Ali looks around the arena one last time, amazed that in just a few months she’ll be in the same building filming Ashlyn performing three sold out shows to thousands of screaming fans. It hasn’t hit her until this very moment--the immensity of what Ashlyn does for a living--and she suddenly can’t help but feel a little pride at being able to play a small part in showing the world everything Ashlyn goes though to put out the final, enormous product. “You’re amazing,” Ali compliments.

 

“Thanks. So are you,” Ashlyn replies sincerely.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First little bump in the road for these two. Do you think Ali overreacted or were her fears justified? The tour finally kicks off next chapter; predictions or anything you hope to see? Any roommate predictions for the first stop?


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang heads to Australia after the final week of rehearsals. Ashlyn learns a secret.

**Monday, February 22 - Wednesday, March 2**

**LA, Sydney**

 

The last week of rehearsals begins with revitalized energy. After the awkwardness of the previous week, everyone comes in on Monday ready to work and perfect the show. Their first concert is a week from Thursday and everyone--including the MTV crew--is feeling the crunch and helping out wherever they can. 

 

The setlist is finalized by lunchtime on Monday, everyone agreeing that the show flows naturally and will keep fans on their feet throughout the two hour show. At each tour stop, Ashlyn and her band like to play a different cover song, so they take some rehearsal time to pick out and learn ones they might want to play on tour. 

 

Christen and her seamstresses have most of the costumes completed: four different outfits for Ashlyn for each stop; four outfits for each dancer; and a few options for backup singers and band members, though band members generally don’t change during the show and generally wears their own clothes on stage. There are ten copies of each outfit to account for difficult to come by dry cleaning. 

 

At the end of the day, Ali pulls Ashlyn, Christen, and Kelley back for interviews. Kelley waits outside while Ali interviews Christen and Ashlyn about the costume design process. 

 

“Can you introduce yourself a little and talk about how you came to work with Ashlyn?” Ali asks from behind her camera. 

 

“Sure,” Christen says with a bright smile. “I’m Christen and I design and make the costumes with a small team of seamstresses. I started working for Ashlyn when her previous designer retired before the last tour.”

 

“Do the other seamstresses come on tour?” Ali questions.

 

“No, the other seamstresses usually have other jobs they work on here: movies, TV shows, other tours, things like that. I’m the only one who actually goes on tour in case anything happens. I help wherever I can on tour so it’s not all just popped buttons and broken zippers,” she says with a laugh.

 

“Christen is super important to us on tour. She’s there for anything we need: helping load in the equipment, helping with meet and greet lines, and pretty much anything else you can imagine. She even takes us on yoga excursions on whatever beach or mountain top she can find. A lot of us complain about it but it really helps to relax and get away from the craziness of tour even just for a few hours.”

 

“Thanks, Ash. I’ll remember you said that next time you complain about a five am wake up call for yoga.”

 

“Ugh, I’m so going to regret that,” Ashlyn playfully grumbles. 

 

“How are the costumes coming along?” Ali questions. 

 

“They’re rad, I’m really happy with the ones for this tour,” Ashlyn gushes. “Christen and her team did a great job.”

 

“I’m happy with them too; we had a lot of input from everyone and I think these outfits really fit the vibe of the whole show. They’re almost completed so we’re making good progress.”

 

“Absolutely,” Ashlyn confirms. “The outfits are such a crucial part of creating the vibe of the show. The music is obviously the biggest thing but the costumes are a close second in determining what kind of product we put out there for the fans. And when we feel confident on stage, the whole show seems to go better.”

 

“Look good, feel good, play good,” Ali says from behind the camera. 

 

“Exactly,” Ashlyn replies with a dimpled smile. 

 

“What kind of look did you go for? Do you try to tie Ashlyn’s personal style into the costumes?” Ali asks.

 

“Oh, absolutely,” Christen answers. “When I first start designing looks for the shows, I consult with Ashlyn about what types of trends she’s into so that provides a good base for us to work with. Basically, I wouldn’t put her on stage in anything I know she wouldn’t wear off stage.”

 

With that, Ali tells Christen she’s free to go and requests that she send Kelley in as she leaves. 

 

“This’ll be quick,” Ali says as Kelley settles onto the couch. They’ve interviewed Kelley before so there’s no need for introductions which will allow them to jump right into the topic on hand. “Now that the setlist is final, you’ve begun working on some cover songs that you’ll play on tour. Why do you include cover songs in the show and how do you choose what to play and when?”

 

“We play a different cover song at each stop. The rest of the setlist stays the same so it makes it feel fresh every night and gives each city a little something special,” Ashlyn explains.

 

“Yeah,” Kelley agrees. “We play the same songs in the same order the whole tour. Even something as simple as playing a different cover song each night makes it feel new and exciting. And it’s fun to work together and learn new songs on the road. It’s kind of a fun bonding exercise when we have to learn a new song and perfect it enough to play in a matter of hours.”

 

“I love it,” Ashlyn says. “Everyone in the band is incredibly talented so it’s fun to come up with different arrangements for songs and to put our own twist on things.”

 

“How do you decide what to play?”

 

“Sometimes it’s what I feel connected to during the week, relating to something I’m going through or feeling and sometimes it’s just what the band and I have been loving,” Ashlyn answers. 

 

“Any hints of what songs fans can expect on tour?” Liz questions. 

 

Ashlyn and Kelley share a knowing look. “No spoilers,” Ashlyn says.

 

They wrap up for the day, knowing that they have a long week ahead of them and a lot of packing to do before they leave for Australia on Saturday. They’ll have a day of travel and a few days to get acclimated to the time change before the first show in Sydney a week from Thursday. 

 

\---

 

The excitement is palpable throughout the week--the energy from Monday carrying everyone through until, finally, they have their first full dress rehearsal on Friday morning. The show goes smoothly and they spend the next few hours ironing out some last minute details. After lunch, everyone heads home to prepare for the long journey ahead. 

 

Ashlyn takes a quick phone interview to promote the tour as she packs in her spacious LA home. It’s always weird leaving her home like this, empty for months on end, and it’s even more strange that sometimes the road feels more like her home than this place. She’s owned the same house for several years now but with no one to come home to, especially now that Stephanie is gone, she begins to feel more and more like her real home is on tour with her friends and fans. 

 

She also jots down a few ideas for new songs while packing. She doesn’t know what it is, exactly, but she feels inspired to write after hearing “Brown Eyed Girl” on the radio while packing her shoe suitcase. She’s learned from experience to document ideas as they come to her instead of putting them off and risking forgetting, so she makes a voice memo of some potential new lyrics inspired by the classic song and, if she’s really honest with herself, by a particular brown eyed filmmaker. It doesn’t mean anything, she tells herself over and over. Inspiration is inspiration and, hell, if that guy from Plain White T’s can write a song about a woman he met once, Ashlyn can surely write a song about Ali without it meaning anything. She ends up writing more than she anticipates, and soon enough she has almost an entire song written while her suitcases sit open on the floor, waiting to be filled. She falls asleep sometime after midnight, deciding that packing can wait until morning. 

 

The next day is filled with packing, picking up last minute items from the store, and assuring that her house is secure for the months she’ll be gone. Her retired neighbors always do a good job of checking on her house and bringing in her mail in exchange for tickets to a show for their grandkids, which she grants them happily. Their oldest grandchild, Mallory, wants to be a singer someday and Ashlyn has always been more than willing to pass along advice to the teen, knowing how important it is to have that type of encouragement. In all honesty, they all know that she would give the kids free tickets, but it’s nice for Ashlyn to get something out of the deal and to know that her house is in safe hands while she’s away.

 

She arrives at LAX at 7:00pm for their 10:30 flight, meeting up with her band and crew near the ticketing counter. Whitney dutifully checks off people as they show up and texts people who are running late, ensuring that everyone will make the flight in time--a process they began immediately following the infamous Syd left in France incident. As she checks people in, she reminds everyone to get their roommate requests for Australia in before she falls asleep. After that, it’ll be up to them to find someone who wants to switch. 

 

\---

 

Ali’s always thought that you could tell a lot about a person based on how they travel. Jeff was always high strung in airports, making traveling together a stressful event that Ali was all too happy to avoid. Being the travel pro's they are, everyone on tour seems to be completely at ease navigating busy LAX and Ali finds herself almost feeling excited for the fifteen hour plane ride. She ends up in a window seat next to Whitney while Ashlyn sits several rows back in the center of the plane with HAO, Crystal, and Moe. 

 

Ali watches curiously as Whitney makes a list of roommate assignments for the first half hour of the flight. “Who do you have me with?” she questions. She hadn’t made a request, figuring that she liked everyone well enough to share a room for a few days, so she could end up with anyone. 

 

“Ummm,” Whit says, scanning her list. “I have you with Pinoe.”

 

“Oh, cool,” Ali says. She’s spoken to Pinoe here and there and enjoys her sense of humor immensely. 

 

“Kelley and Liz requested each other,” Whitney says evenly but Ali’s sure there’s a hint of terror in her voice. 

 

“Somehow I think we’ll all live to regret that,” Ali replies, not allowing herself to imagine what kind of trouble those two will be getting into together. “Who are you rooming with? Ashlyn?”

 

“Nope, not this stop. I’m with Moe. Ashlyn requested Becky.”

 

“Really?”

 

Whit double checks her list, pointing to where Ashlyn and Becky are listed next to each other, Ashlyn’s name highlighted in blue. “Yeah, she said that she wanted to get to know her a little better and figured she’d be an easy roommate considering how long we’ll be in Sydney.” 

 

“Who’s Tobin with?”

 

“She and Christen requested each other,” Whitney replies, pointing to their highlighted names on the list. She quickly explains that roommates are listed next to each other, ones that are highlighted in yellow are married couples (like Syd and Dom and Alex and Serv) who usually always prefer to be placed in the same room as their spouse while people highlighted in pink requested each other and people highlighted in blue requested someone who did not request them in return. 

 

“Why do some have asterisks or triangles next to their names?” Ali asks, amazed at the lengths Whitney goes to to make sure everyone is happy. 

 

“Matching symbols mean those two should not room together for whatever reason. Obviously some people don’t get along enough to share a room and some cause too much trouble together for us to trust them alone. Syd and Alex were in the latter category for a while before they each got married; too many hotel damage charges when they roomed together.”

 

“I have a feeling Liz and Kelley are going to end up in that category before we even land,” Ali jokes. 

 

Whitney laughs. “Wouldn’t be surprised.” She’s quiet for a moment and Ali almost puts her headphones back on before Whitney speaks again. “I’m glad you and Ashlyn worked things out. I think she really cares about you.”

 

Whitney’s not making eye contact but Ali can feel the honesty in the other woman’s words. “Thanks, I’m glad too.”

 

“She was really upset about your fight last Monday. I think she wanted to help you but wasn’t sure how so I’m sorry that she called you out like that; she doesn’t do well with not being able to talk about what she’s feeling and I think she just didn’t know how to broach the topic with you. She feels everything deeply--too deeply sometimes--and it makes her a great artist but it also means that an issue that seems minor to someone else might feel overwhelming to her so it’s always best to just talk through things.”

 

Whitney finally looks up to meet Ali’s eyes and the brunette sees the sincerity housed in them and she knows she’s not reprimanding her: she’s merely offering friendly advice. “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind,” she responds as Whit returns her attention to the roommate list. “Hey, Whit,” she says a few moments later.

 

“Yeah?” 

 

“Do you think that you and I could room together in Melbourne or Auckland?”

 

Whitney smiles at the request. “I would love to but I'm already supposed to room with HAO in Melbourne and Julie in Auckland. How about Tokyo?” She counters. Tokyo is the fourth stop on the tour where they will be playing two nights in a row.

 

“Sounds perfect,” Ali says, putting her headphones back on. She watches as Whit flips to a page marked Tokyo in her notebook, writes her and Ali’s name next to each other, and highlights them in pink. 

 

The seat mates end up sleeping for a lot of the remainder of the flight, much like every other passenger. Finally, after what seems like an eternity in the air, they hear the final landing announcement and Ali watches excitedly as Sydney landmarks come into view. 

 

\---

 

Everyone ends up being lazy for their first day in Australia but on Tuesday morning, Ashlyn sets out to find Tobin and Kelley for a morning surf session. She texts Kelley to get ready and, upon realizing that she doesn’t have Tobin’s phone number, wanders down to her and Christen’s room. After a few knocks with no response, she begins to wonder if they might still be sleeping. She’s about to walk away when Tobin finally opens the door. 

 

“Damn, did the maids come already?” Ashlyn questions, noticing that the one bed she can see already appears to be made. 

 

“What?” Tobin questions.

 

“Oh my god,” Ashlyn exclaims as the realization hits her. “You and Christen…” she trails off as Christen also comes to the door.

 

“Morning, Ash,” she greets. 

 

“Morning.” She pauses for a moment, determining how direct she should be. “So you two are together? I can’t believe I didn’t realize it sooner.”

 

“We’re together, yeah, ” Christen confirms, keeping her cool despite the slightly awkward situation. “Trying to keep it at least somewhat quiet for now. You know how it is on tour, everyone is so nosy.”

 

“Oh, yeah, that’s cool I won’t say anything,” Ashlyn promises. 

 

“It’s not a secret or anything,” Christen clarifies. “It’s still kinda new so only a few people know.”

 

“Who else knows?”

 

“Whitney and Becky,” Tobin answers. “Other people have probably figured it out but haven’t said anything,” she adds with a shrug. 

 

Ashlyn smiles, knowing they (intentionally or not) picked two of the best people to tell first. Ash knows Whitney is a steel trap when it comes to keeping secrets and suspects that Becky is just as trustworthy as her best friend. “Well, I’m happy for you two,” she says. 

 

“Thanks,” Christen and Tobin say in unison.

 

“Anyway, I actually came to see if Tobin wanted to come surfing with Kel and I? And of course you’re welcome to come too.”

 

“I’m in,” Tobin says.

 

“I’ll pass this time; I need a good yoga session after all that travel.”

 

Ashlyn nods. She and Tobin agree to meet downstairs in fifteen minutes, giving them each time to get their wetsuits and sunscreen on. Ashlyn’s zipping the front of her wetsuit when she decides that maybe she should ask Ali to join. Ali’s been much more involved since she and Ashlyn talked things through and Ash thinks that she might appreciate an invite so she grabs her extra wetsuit and walks down the hall to the room Ali’s sharing with Pinoe. 

 

This time, Ashlyn receives an answer on the first knock as Pinoe throws open the door. “Oh, fuck no,” Pinoe says, seeing the wetsuit in Ashlyn’s arms. “You remember what happened last time I went surfing with you guys?” she asks. Megan had tried surfing exactly once and ended up in a hospital in Portugal under concussion observation and missed the show the following night.

 

“I know, Peens, I’m actually here to see if Ali wants to come.”

 

“Ohhh, right,” Pinoe replies. “Hey, Ali,” she calls, “your wife is here.”

 

Ashlyn hears a confused “what?” come from inside the room before Ali appears in the doorway, trading places with Pinoe who retreats back into the room. She looks like she’s just woken up and Ashlyn can’t help but smile at the adorably sleep disheveled brunette.

 

“The beach is that way,” Ali quips, pointing to the ocean view rooms across the hall.

 

“I know that,” Ashlyn says, smiling. “I was wondering if you wanted to come surfing with us?”

 

“Oh,” Ali begins, unsure of what to say. “I don’t… I don’t know how,” she admits. 

 

“We can teach you, silly,” Ashlyn replies easily. “And before you even say it, I have this extra wetsuit you can wear.” She holds the suit out, offering it to the brunette.

 

Ali wants to say no--she doesn’t want to embarrass herself--but the excited look on Ashlyn’s face is enough to convince her to give it a chance. She doesn’t know how the blonde manages to look like a five year old on Christmas morning but she’s pretty sure it’s the most adorable thing she’s ever seen. “Okay but you have to promise not to make fun of me,” Ali replies, taking the wetsuit from Ashlyn’s outstretched hands. 

 

“Pinky swear,” Ashlyn says, sticking out her pinky for Ali to take in hers, smiling the whole time. “You can wear your regular bathing suit under that so just put both on and I’ll wait for you by the elevators, okay?”

 

Ali nods and retreats back into her hotel room in search of her bikini. 

 

An hour later, Ali tries (and immediately fails) to stand up on a surfboard for the first time. Ashlyn had spent twenty minutes showing her the basics in the sand while Tobin and Kelley started in the water, each catching some impressive waves while Ashlyn showed Ali how to paddle and jump up on the board. Unsurprisingly, Ali falls on her first few attempts. True to her word, Ashlyn doesn’t make fun of her but instead patiently tries to show her how to do it properly.

 

“Did you play any sports in high school?” She asks after Ali falls into the water on her fourth attempt. 

 

“Volleyball and soccer,” Ali says, climbing back onto her board as Ashlyn holds it steady for her. 

 

“Okay so use some of that leg and core strength to hold yourself steady on your board, okay? And don’t lock your knees.”

 

“Got it,” Ali says. They paddle towards a small wave and Ashlyn tells her when to stand up. Ali only manages to stay up for about ten seconds but it’s still longer than her previous four attempts combined, which she considers a win. “Whoa,” Ali says, sticking her head back above water. 

 

“That was great, Al,” Ashlyn compliment, looking at Ali with such pride in her eyes that Ali has to break eye contact to maintain her composure. 

 

After Ali manages to stand up for another few seconds on her next attempt, they end up joining Kelley and Tobin farther out in the ocean. Ali mostly paddles along side them and watches how they expertly keep their balance while riding waves three times the size of the ones Ali had fallen on. Ali watches quietly, fascinated at how Ashlyn’s muscles ripple (even through the thick wetsuit) with each jump onto her board and how she uses her strong legs to steer her surfboard, making it look as easy as steering a bike. 

 

The small group heads back to shore at lunchtime, electing to eat at a beachside shack. They strip down to their normal bathing suits and feast on shrimp and crab for lunch before wandering back to the hotel for a much needed nap. 

 

\---

 

Work resumes early Wednesday morning with the crew traveling to the arena for load in and the band meeting in Ashlyn and Becky’s hotel room, instruments in hand, to work on a cover song for Thursday night. After some lively debates, they finally settle on an AC/DC song in order to pay homage to the band in their home country. Liz, Tobin, and Becky go with the crew to film and help with load in while Ali films the band selecting and learning the cover song, amazed at how quickly they are able to learn the song proficiently. After taking just over an hour to learn the song, the band knows the song well enough to head to the arena for a quick catered lunch before their real work begins. 

 

The final dress rehearsal goes smoothly and Ashlyn breathes a sigh of relief in her dressing room once it’s over, confident that they’ll put a good product on stage for the fans the next night. She puts her entire heart and soul into her work and she knows her band does too so it’s incredibly comforting to know that their hard work will pay off in just 24 hours. She sits on her dressing room couch silently for a few minutes, visualizing how the next night will go. She’s about ready to get up and head towards the busses back to the hotel when there’s a soft knock on the door. 

 

“Come in,” she calls. 

 

“Hey,” Ali says quietly, coming through the door. “You good?” She questions, seeing the blonde sitting alone on the couch.

 

“Yep, just thinking about tomorrow. I like to run through visualizations the night before the first show.”

 

“Oh,” Ali begins, unsure of what to say. “Sorry I interrupted you.” 

 

“No, no, you’re fine. Everyone ready to go?” Ashlyn asks. Ali nods so Ashlyn stands up, ensuring that her phone is in her back pocket as she walks away from the couch.

 

They join the rest of the band and crew on the busses. Once back at the hotel, they only have about an hour to get ready for the traditional pre-first show dinner which is being held at a dressy casual restaurant down the street from the hotel. 

 

Dinner is chaotic in the best possible way, as everything seems to be with this large, tight knit group of people. Ali’s genuinely starting to enjoy being in their company and almost feels as if she’s been with them for years instead of just two months. In recent weeks, she’s learned that she and Syd share a love of makeup and trade tips over dinner in between talking and joking with the rest of the band and crew. Ali finally feels at home with these people, despite being thousands of miles away from everything she knows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any favorite lines/ parts? Who or what would you like to see more of as this story continues? 
> 
> Things will start moving a little quicker now that they're on tour so keep an eye on the dates at the beginning of each chapter. 
> 
> Happy game day!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first week of shows kicks off in Australia before heading to Tokyo. A news story breaks.

**Thursday, March 3 - Wednesday, March 9.**

**Sydney, Tokyo**

 

The first show is, quite literally, a roaring success. Ali meets with Ashlyn’s video board crew before the show to ensure that they’ll be able to provide footage of the concert for the documentary. This partnership frees Ali and her crew to film the craziness that occurs backstage during one of the largest and most intricate concert tours of the year. 

 

One of Ali’s favorite part of the show is filming the pre-show meet and greet in which 50 lucky fans get to meet Ashlyn backstage. She watches from behind the camera as fans of every age and gender express to the musician just how much she means to them. In true Ashlyn fashion, she smiles and listens intently as fans describe how she had helped them overcome their own struggles. Throughout the hour long process, Ali hears fans telling Ashlyn how much she had helped them accept their sexualities, helped them become confident in their personal style, and how her sharing her struggles has helped them learn to be open about their own and accept help from others. Ali is moved to tears when she watches the last fan through the line, a fifteen year old named Olivia, finally gets to meet Ashlyn. Olivia can barely speak through her tears as she explains to her idol that she saved her life, just by being an out celebrity who is adored and respected for being unapologetically herself. Having the opportunity to thank Ashlyn, Olivia says, is something she’ll never forget. The young woman is so moved that Ashlyn takes a little extra time with her, offering a extra support, encouragement, and (of course) many, many hugs.

 

“Try not to worry too much,” she says, holding the young woman tight. “It’ll all be okay and if anyone gives you problems, you can DM me on twitter, okay?”

 

Olivia nods and finally calms down enough for the official picture to be taken, Ashlyn’s arm around her shoulder as they both beam for the camera. 

 

“Enjoy the show,” Ashlyn says, patting the teen on the shoulder. 

 

“How does it make you feel when fans say those kinds of things to you?” Ali questions, pulling Ashlyn over for an interview once Olivia is gone. 

 

Ashlyn sighs, still incredibly moved by the conversation. “It feels really, really good to be honest. My job as an artist is to make people feel things and to bring people together so when people say things like that, it makes me feel like I’m doing my job. I remember being that young and scared and not knowing where or who to turn to so it makes me happy that my fans know that they can turn to me. Everybody wants positive representation and I love that I can be that for them. I’m not always perfect and I don’t try to be, I just live my life the way I need to in order to be happy and I think people really respond to that. I don’t make a big deal out of my sexuality--I never have--because I think it should be normalized and I’m happy to play even a small part in making everything a little less scary and painful for this next generation.”

 

“Okay, well, I’m crying so cut,” Ali says from behind the camera as Ashlyn finishes speaking. 

 

“Aren’t documentarians supposed to be unmoved by the things they hear?” Ashlyn quips.

 

Ali laughs. “Yeah, well it’s kind of hard to be removed from the situation when  _ someone  _ gives a heartfelt soliloquy in response to an already emotional question.”

 

“Sorry.”

 

Ali sighs dramatically. “I guess I can forgive you. Just this once, though, so don’t try to pull this stunt again,” she jokingly warns. 

 

“Got it.”

 

\--- 

 

The show has a few kinks, the majority of which are only perceptible to those who have been there since the beginning. But, overall, everyone seems happy with how well the first show goes, knowing that the small mistakes will work themselves out as they perform more shows. No amount of practicing can compare to performing live, Ali learns, because instead of pausing to correct mistakes, the band must continue as if nothing had happened. 

 

As soon as the show is over, Ali pulls Ashlyn aside for a quick post-show talking head. 

 

“How would you say the show went tonight?” Ali asks.

 

“It was great,” Ashlyn says, an unwavering smile on her face. “The fans here are amazing and I’m glad we got to kick the tour off with them. We’ll definitely be coming back in the future.” She’s sweating from performing under the hot lights and Ali knows she must be drained both physically and emotionally but the blonde doesn’t let it show and instead radiates happiness. It’s never been more obvious to Ali just how much Ashlyn loves her job and she finds herself smiling as Ashlyn attempts to put into words  how good it feels to finally be on tour after all the work they’ve put in. 

 

There’s little time to celebrate after the show; load out requires all hands on deck and begins as soon as the last fans have trickled out of the arena. They leave for Melbourne early the next morning with a show at night, leaving little time to pack equipment and their personal belongings back at the hotel. 

 

Everything gets done, somehow, though Ali’s not exactly sure how it’s possible. She assumes it’s the adrenaline keeping everyone functioning and working even though they’ve all been awake for about 20 hours by the time everything is finished. She’s starting to get used to the fast pace of tour which is simultaneously thrilling and exhausting. 

 

\---

 

The Melbourne and New Zealand stops are short and sweet. They don’t have a day off at either stop, leaving everyone extremely focused on the show and getting as much rest as possible before their long flight to Tokyo. Ali takes a window seat again for the 13 hour journey but this time it’s Ashlyn who sits next to her. 

 

“How are you enjoying tour so far?” Ashlyn asks as she gets settled in her seat. “I feel like you’re always asking me that question and I haven’t asked you yet.”

 

Ali smiles. She hasn’t gotten much time to talk to the blonde casually since they went surfing in Sydney and she’s found herself missing her in quiet moments like this the last few days. “I love it,” she replies earnestly. “The pace is a bit of an adjustment and I didn’t expect to be helping with equipment but I’m getting the hang of it.”

 

“Yeah, we’ve really been putting you guys to work, huh? Someone has to pick up the slack when Kelley’s hooking up with some girl backstage after the show.”

 

“That’s where she was? I thought she was sick or something,” Ali remarks. She pauses for a moment, pondering her next question. “What about you? Have you been living up the rockstar life?” she asks.

 

Ashlyn laughs and shakes her head. “God, no,” she answers. “Not that I wouldn’t enjoy some… company but I’m so focused on the tour that I haven’t had time for any of that. Plus, I’d rather put effort into having a relationship with someone rather than picking up one night stands.”

 

“Don’t you get lonely on the road?” Ali questions. 

 

“Well, yeah. It’s only natural but you learn to get creative,” Ashlyn says with a smirk. 

 

“I’ve already figured that one out myself,” Ali says, raising her eyebrows suggestively. 

 

Ashlyn’s lucky she wasn’t taking a drink at that moment, otherwise, it’d be all over the back of Syd’s seat in front of them. Ali’s opened up a lot since their confrontation in LA but Ashlyn still never would’ve predicted the brunette being  _ that _ open. When she doesn’t respond, Ali continues, “What did you do when you were dating Stephanie?”

 

“Oh gosh,” Ashlyn says, thinking back. “We sent a lot of dumb snapchats about how much we missed each other and maybe some other stuff.” 

 

“Like what?” Ali prods. Part of it is her documentarian side coming out, always looking for a deeper answer, but she's genuinely curious. Plus, the blonde is getting more flustered the longer the conversation goes on, which Ali finds extremely endearing coming from the usually confident musician. 

 

Ashlyn begins to blush and fidgets in her seat. She’s sure that she wouldn’t be nervous having this conversation with anyone else  but something about discussing this with Ali makes her heart race and her hands feel clammy. “Man, you’re really pressing me on this,” she notes. 

 

“You don’t have to tell me.”

 

“I'll tell you but you can't make fun of me or tell anyone else, okay?”

 

“Okay,” Ali agrees.

 

“There may have been some sexting and naked pictures in the mix,” Ashlyn admits. 

 

“Ashlyn Harris, I am scandalized,” Ali jokes, putting her hand up to her chest in dramatic fashion. 

 

“You promised you wouldn't make fun,” Ashlyn whines. She knows Ali is joking but she just revealed some very personal details and feels incredibly vulnerable at the moment, especially since the person she’s having this conversation with is a person whose opinion she values greatly.

 

“Sorry, sorry,” Ali says. “How did you find time for that though? I see how busy you are and it's not like the time zones are compatible.”

 

“Yeah, the time zones and my schedule made it hard but we always found a way when we wanted to even if it required one of us waking up at three in the morning.”

 

“That almost sounds more difficult that just being single on tour,” Ali notes. 

 

“In some ways, it was,” Ashlyn admits. “But it was also nice knowing that I was going to go home to someone or getting surprise visits. And emotional support on tour is invaluable even if I did come to find out that her support was because she had some ulterior motives.” She shrugs. 

 

“Then what did you do with the pictures once you broke up?” Ali asks. 

 

“I deleted all the ones she sent. I have no idea what she did with mine; she might’ve kept them but I’m not sure, I haven’t spoken to her since we broke up.” She explains. Both women are quiet for a few minutes, watching out Ali’s window as the plane climbs higher and higher into the sky, enveloped in a comfortable silence. 

 

At some point during their flight, Ashlyn falls asleep on Ali’s shoulder, only waking after their plane lands safely on the ground in Tokyo. “Oh, sorry,” she says, moving away from the brunette as people around them unbuckle their seatbelts and begin to collect their belongings. 

 

“Don’t worry about it,” Ali replies. “You’re cute when you sleep,” she adds, refraining from mentioning that she thinks the blonde is cute no matter what she’s doing. 

 

A light blush creeps onto Ashlyn’s cheeks. “Thanks,” she says as she stands to gather her things. 

 

Once at the hotel, Ashlyn is pleased to find out that she’ll be rooming with Heather while in Tokyo. HAO is an easy, polite roommate and Ashlyn knows she’ll be able to relax on their day off rooming with the easy going bassist. She’s surprised to hear that Ali had requested to room with Whit but is nonetheless happy that the two seem to get along well.

 

\---

 

Ashlyn sleeps in the next morning, groaning as her cell phone vibrates obnoxiously on the nightstand, pulling her from a peaceful slumber. After a few minutes of non-stop ringing, she reluctantly moves one arm, blindly searching for the source of her annoyance. 

 

She’s used to waking up with texts, especially considering the time difference between wherever she is and her family and friends back home, but something about the amount of notifications she has seems off. She usually only wakes up to this many texts when awards show nominations are announced so she curiously unlocks her phone and begins to scroll through close to 100 messages. 

 

The majority are vague, asking if she’d seen the news, some offering unsolicited legal advice, and some saying that they support her no matter what. It isn’t until she reaches her brother’s texts that she begins to piece together what’s going on. 

 

_ Chris: nice nudes, sis _

_ Chris: lucky for both of us I only saw the censored ones. Might’ve gouged my eyes out otherwise _

_ Chris: seriously though fuck that girl _

_ Chris: I never liked her _

_ Chris: are you okay? _

 

She doesn’t bother responding to him, deciding that he can wait. Instead, she opens her news app and sees her name displayed in almost every single headline. She feels sick to her stomach as she scrolls through the app, seeing headlines such as “Ashlyn Harris Nude Photo Scandal: Exclusive Details on the Ex Behind the Leak”, “What You Need to Know About the Latest Celebrity Nude Photo Scandal”, and “Ashlyn Harris Nude Photo Leak: What will this Mean for her World Tour?”. She finally opens an article and her worst fears are confirmed: Stephanie sold the pictures Ashlyn had sent her during the last tour to a shady tabloid in exchange for over a million dollars. 

 

She stays rooted in her bed, unsure of how to handle the situation. Surely she’ll be receiving a call from her lawyers and publicist any minute but, right now, she just wants to talk to her best friend. She attempts to call Whit but gets her voicemail before the phone even rings. Assuming that Whitney’s phone must be dead, she shoves her feet into her nearest pair shoes and heads down the hall, frantically knocking on Whitney and Ali’s door. After a few minutes with no answer, she walks towards the elevators, hoping that she’ll find Whitney eating breakfast downstairs. 

 

Before she can make it to the end of the hall, however, she hears an excited voice in the small lobby in front of the elevators. 

 

“This is fantastic,” the voice says, coming through what sounds to be a phone on speaker. “Ali, you have to cover the fallout. Ratings are going to be through the roof.”

 

Ashlyn stands where Ali can’t see her, paralyzed in her spot. She wishes she could reveal herself but instead ends up listening as the mysterious voice--someone from MTV, no doubt-- continues to boast about how the documentary will be able to market having the exclusive reactions from the superstar and beginning to ponder the best ways to promote the episode. Finally, the voice asks Ali how much she knows about the situation.

 

“I knew about the pictures,” Ali admits and Ashlyn suddenly remembers a very important caveat: she had mentioned the pictures to Ali on the flight to Tokyo just yesterday. Ashlyn generally doesn’t believe in coincidences and the timing is more than suspicious. Before the person on the other end can ever respond, she suddenly finds herself running back to the hotel room, wondering how much betrayal one person can be expected to take in one day. She doesn’t know how Ali had found Stephanie but she’s sure that the brunette had something to do with it and, worst of all, Ashlyn had given her the idea by saying that Stephanie might still have the pictures. 

 

She paces her empty hotel room for a few minutes, resisting the urge to put her fist through the wall, before the door swings open and HAO and Whitney burst in. 

 

“It was her,” Ashlyn says, shaking. 

 

“Who? Steph? I know,” Whitney says. She hasn’t seen her best friend this upset in a long time and begins to pace as well while HAO calmly takes a seat on her bed, waiting for Ashlyn to speak. 

 

“No, not Steph,” Ashlyn says, exasperated. “It was Ali,” she adds. 

 

“Why in the world would Ali have naked pictures of you?” Whitney questions.

 

Ashlyn stops pacing and meets Whitney’s confused gaze. “Ali and I were talking on the plane and she asked how I used to manage a long distance relationship. I told her about sending pictures and then, I don’t know, she must have contacted Stephanie and now the pictures are out there and I don’t know what to do.” She’s crying by the time she finishes so HAO puts gentle hands on her shoulders and guides her to the bed, where they sit perched on the edge. Ashlyn leans into her friend’s embrace while Whitney still attempts to piece things together. 

 

“But how do you know that Ali was behind it? Couldn’t it be a coincidence?” she asks.

 

“I’m sure she had something to do with it,” Ashlyn asserts. “The first time I talked about Steph, I told her all the stuff she used to do with my money behind my back and I told her that if it were possible, she would’ve gotten pregnant just to keep my money around. Then on the flight over here she kept asking me about what we used to do while I was on the road and I told her about sending pictures and said that Stephanie might still have mine saved somewhere.”

 

“So Ali knows what lengths Stephanie would go to for your money?” Heather confirms.

 

“Yes,” Ashlyn breathes, attempting to calm herself down. 

 

“But do you really think that Ali would be capable of something like this? She seems to adore you,” Heather points out, earning a nod of agreement from Whitney. 

 

“Did I think that Steph would do something like this when I sent those pictures?” Ashlyn counters. “Plus, I heard Ali on the phone with her boss who was absolutely fucking thrilled about their precious goddamn TV ratings and Ali told him that she knew about it. She said that she knew about this. It all adds up, I can’t believe I ever trusted her.” 

  
At this point, Ashlyn is more upset than Whitney has ever seen her and Whitney is sure that Ashlyn is telling the truth. A scandal like this with a celebrity as big and as well known as Ashlyn will be huge for ratings, which could only benefit Ali’s career. Ashlyn would  have no reason to lie about it, after all, so Whitney quickly exits the room, intent on telling Ali where she can stick her precious ratings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So excited/ nervous to read what you all think of this one! Favorite (or least favorite, in this case) parts or lines? Do you think Ali had anything to do with it? How do you think Ashlyn will bounce back? Which of the gals do you think would be best to have by your side in a situation like this?


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Did Ali have anything to do with the photo leak? Whitney gets to the bottom of it as Ashlyn prepares for the first show post scandal.

**March 8-9**

**Tokyo**

 

“What the fuck, Ali,” Whitney demands, entering their hotel room and seeing the brunette sitting at the desk, checking on her camera batteries. 

 

“What?” 

 

“Don’t play dumb, you know what,” Whitney says, crossing her arms. “Do you have any idea how upset Ash is right now?”

 

“Whitney,” Ali says calmly. “What’s going on?” She’s never seen Whitney this angry before and is confused as to why the blonde’s fury seems to be directed at her. “Is this about the pictures? I tried to find Ash to talk about it but she didn’t answer.” This seems to be the wrong thing to say, Ali notices, as the normally even tempered woman balls her hands into fists and looks very much like she wants to hit Ali.

 

“So it was you?” Whitney asks. 

 

“What was me?”

 

“Did you have anything to do with the pictures being leaked?” Whitney questions. It’s not phrased as an accusation but it certainly feels like one and Ali is taken aback by the absurdity of the question.

 

“Of course not. Why would you think that?”

 

“Oh, maybe because I just walked into my best friend’s hotel room and had her sob to me about how you were behind it and how wrong she was to trust you.”

 

“Whitney, I had  _ nothing  _ to do with this. Why would Ashlyn think that I did?” Ali’s standing by now, and the two women face each other, each attempting to read the other’s face.

 

“Because you  _ knew  _ what type of person Stephanie is and you thought something like this would help you get ratings for your show.”

 

Ali shakes her head incredulously the entire time Whitney speaks. “I would never do something like that to anyone, let alone Ashlyn.”

 

“Then why did you tell your boss you knew about it while he was gloating about TV ratings? Ash heard you on the phone.”

 

Ali looks at her, beginning to piece together the events that led up to this conversation. “How much did she hear?” She asks calmly, knowing that getting defensive won’t help her case.

 

“I don’t know,” Whitney says, softening a little but still maintaining the fiery protectiveness in her eyes. “The last thing she told me was that you told your boss that you knew about all this.”

 

“Come sit,” Ali says, sitting on the corner of her bed and gesturing for Whitney to sit on hers. “And I’ll tell you the whole story.”

 

“Okay,” Whitney replies skeptically but complying with Ali’s request nonetheless.  

 

“I was on my way to breakfast when my boss called me and told me about the leak. I’ll be totally honest and admit that  _ he _ was excited. I was appalled at the news. He told me over and over that I needed to make sure to capture reactions to the pictures as soon as possible, okay?” Whitney nods so Ali continues, “he asked me what I knew about the situation and I said that I knew about Stephanie and the pictures. That’s  _ it.  _ I didn’t tell him that I knew about the leak and I sure as hell did not tell him that I had anything to do with it; I had just found out about it myself.” Ali pauses for a moment to gather her thoughts. 

 

“So you didn’t know about it beforehand or convince Stephanie to release them?” Whitney asks.

 

“Of course not,” Ali answers. “I only meant that I knew about the pictures because Ashlyn told me that she had sent some in the past. She didn’t tell you anything about the rest of the conversation?” 

 

Whitney just shakes her head, prompting Ali to continue, “I’m guessing that she walked away after thinking she heard me say that I knew this was going to happen.” She sighs, hoping that she’ll be able to patch things up with the musician. “I told my boss that I wasn’t going to film right away. He was pretty angry and threatened my job multiple times but I told him that I wasn’t going to intrude on this. I couldn’t tell him that it’s because I care about Ashlyn; I’m supposed to be impartial. Instead I said that if we pushed her too hard on this, she’d send us packing and there wouldn’t be ratings to worry about. He threatened to have someone else take over my job so I told him that we’d still get the ratings if we let things die down a little and get Ashlyn for the first interview, if she chooses to do one. That way Ashlyn and her publicist can work out what she wants to say before I even pick up my camera.”

 

Whitney sits there for a few seconds, considering what Ali has told her while Ali waits with bated breath. “Whit?” Ali prods after what feels like an eternity. “Honestly, I’ve come to care about Ashlyn--about all of you guys--more than I ever anticipated. Even if I didn’t care, I’ve had my trust severely betrayed by someone I loved deeply and trusted implicitly. I wouldn’t wish those feelings on my worst enemy much less someone like Ash. Please understand that I would never do something like that to her, okay?”

 

Whitney calms for the first time in over an hour, satisfied with Ali’s explanation. “I believe you,” she says finally. 

 

Ali reciprocates Whit’s smile. “Good because you’re her best friend and if you don’t believe me, there’s no way she’ll believe me.”

 

“I guess we should go talk to her so she can focus her anger on the real culprit,” Whitney suggests, jumping to her feet. 

 

They head down to Ashlyn and HAO’s room and Whitney is unsurprised to find Heather still attempting to calm Ashlyn. Whit enters the room first, acting as a buffer between Ashlyn and the woman she thinks betrayed her. “Just hear her out, okay?” Whitney says gently after Ashlyn shouts for Ali to get out. Whitney sends a pleading look to her best friend and Ashlyn knows she’s serious. 

 

Ali explains her side of the story from the moment she received the call until the moment she feared for her life when Whitney bursted into their hotel room with fire in her eyes.

 

“But what about all that stuff I told you about Stephanie?” Ashlyn questions when Ali’s finished speaking.

 

“Ashlyn,” Ali says gently, taking the blonde’s hand in her own. “If I saw that woman on the street I think someone would have to physically restrain me for doing what she did to you. And I felt that way even before today. Remember what I told you about Jeff?” she asks, dropping Ashlyn’s hand.

 

“Yeah,” Ashlyn says, confused as to why Ali’s ex is being brought into the conversation. 

 

“Did I ever tell you how I found out he was cheating on me?” Ashlyn shakes her head so Ali continues, “I found him sleeping with another woman who, by the way, was a less hot version of me, in our bed.  _ My  _ bed. So I kicked him out and found out a few months later that they were having a baby which must have been conceived while he and I were still together”.

 

“Oh, Al, I’m so sorry,” Ashlyn says gently, forgetting her own worries for a moment. 

 

“I didn’t tell you that to make you feel sorry for me,” Ali says. “I told you that to make you understand that I know how hard it is when someone you trusted betrays you. I can’t pretend to know what you’re going through with the media but I do know how shitty betrayal feels and I wouldn’t want to play any part, no matter how small, in making you feel like that.”

 

“You risked your job to protect me,” Ashlyn says, thinking back to Ali’s account of the conversation with her boss.

 

“I did,” Ali confirms. 

 

“I’m so sorry I jumped to conclusions,” Ashlyn says. “I just never thought that she would do that to me and then I walk down the hall and hear your boss talking about ratings for the show and… I’m sorry.”

 

She looks so wounded from this entire situation and Ali can’t even begin to fathom the toll that this has taken on her and will take on her as she eventually faces the media. Her feelings are a little hurt that Ashlyn would ever think her capable of doing something like that but she’s not sure she would’ve handled it any better given the suspicious circumstances. After all, she’d just prodded Ashlyn for more information about these pictures just twenty four hours prior. “Don’t be sorry. I’m sorry it sounded suspicious to begin with.”

 

The two women hug it out and Ashlyn finally feels some of the tension leave her body. Truthfully, she was more upset about the thought that Ali had something to do with this ordeal than the pictures themselves and now feels ready to tackle the real problem. Not Stephanie--that woman isn’t worth wasting her time on anymore--but rather on the misguided media backlash. 

 

She sets up a conference call with her publicist and lawyer and three of them devise a plan. Ashlyn is adamant about granting the first interview with Ali so the brunette can keep her job. Once getting everything set with her team, Ali calls her boss and tells him that they have been granted the exclusive first interview which will be aired as soon as they receive and edit the footage. Parts of the interview will be shown in the Japan episodes from the tour along with reactions from the band and crew. 

 

With everything settled, Ali texts her crew, telling them to bring their equipment to Ashlyn’s room to get the interview out of the way so everyone can move onto more important things, like preparing for the concert the next night. 

 

“How did you find out about the leak?” Ali asks once everyone is settled for the interview. 

 

“I found out when I woke up to hundreds of texts from my friends and family,” she says. 

 

“And how did you feel?”

 

“Shocked, mostly,” Ashlyn replies. “I was in what I thought to be a loving relationship when I sent those photos and to see them sold like that was really disheartening. But I’m not ashamed of them. Like I said, I was in a relationship which happened to be long distance at the time because I was on tour. We’re both adults and sent each other pictures like that during our months apart.”

 

“There’s been some media backlash; how do you respond to that?”

 

“Ironically enough, the media backlash has mostly been directed towards me instead of the person behind the whole thing. Women are conditioned to hide their bodies and told that they can’t be sexual and the media is showing just how sexist our society is with things like this. I didn’t do anything wrong except place my trust in the wrong person. I really want women, both young and old, to know that there’s nothing wrong about being proud of their body and sharing it with their partner, given that both are consenting adults.”

 

“Would you like to say anything to your fans?”

 

Ashlyn smiles, “I want my fans to know that I love and appreciate all of their support. They are the bright spot of this situation and I’m excited to continue the tour and show them how much I appreciate every single one of them”.

 

“Can we expect a new song to come from this?” Ali questions.

 

“I’m always writing new songs so you never know what I’ll decide to write about,” Ashlyn answers with a shrug. As much as she doesn’t want to give any more attention to this situation, especially over a year down the road when her new album will be released, she knows that writing songs is one of the most effective ways for her to work through her feelings. She can’t make a promise either way, so her answer is vague. 

 

They wrap up the interview after Ashlyn’s answer. Liz, Becky, and Tobin go back about their days while Ali and Ashlyn head downstairs for an incredibly late lunch. Ashlyn apologizes several more times, and Ali continues to express that Ashlyn has nothing to be sorry for.

 

Ashlyn heads back to her room after lunch but doesn’t get much quiet between band and crew members stopping by to check on her, and a call from her mother who reprimands her for the pictures but expresses her undying love and support in a way that only a mother can. 

 

As she and Heather get settled into their beds last night, Ashlyn’s quiet voice cuts through the silence, “I think I like Ali,” she admits. She rolls over onto her side to see that her friend doesn’t seem surprised but instead seems like she’s been waiting for this confession for quite some time. 

 

“I know,” Heather says gently. “Are you going to do anything about it?” she asks.

 

“I don’t know, I don’t know,” Ashlyn says, rolling onto her back again. “I don’t know,” she repeats before becoming quiet again, letting sleep pull her under.  

 

\---

 

It's back to business as usual the next day with everyone focused on getting ready for their first show in Tokyo that night. Ashlyn rises early, ready to put on a good show to prove that nothing will stop her from performing well for her fans. Her interview must have aired back home because the ratio of favorable headlines to negative headlines is tipped decidedly in her favor when she checks her news app. Where journalists yesterday were largely critical of Ashlyn taking the photos to begin with, the conversation has largely shifted to her excellent response and how shady the whole thing was to begin with. 

 

Everyone heads to the arena after lunch for soundcheck and show preparations. Once sound check is completed, Ashlyn pulls her band into her dressing room telling them that she has a new idea for the night's cover song.

 

Ali doesn't ask to join this time, instead deciding to focus on the hard working crew members as they get everything ready. She interviews Alyssa about the light show, questioning her on how the light show changes based on the size of the venue, and how they develop what the light show will look like during the early stages of rehearsals.

 

Once the cover song is set, Ashlyn heads to the hair and makeup room to check on Christen, who is taking over Amy’s hair and makeup duties for the remainder of the tour. Amy exited the tour following the New Zealand stop after finding out that she was pregnant, dubbing her pregnancy a parting gift from her husband. 

 

Ashlyn enters the hair and makeup room to find Tobin and Christen getting everything ready for the night’s show. 

 

"You're going to do great," Tobin reassures her girlfriend as they set up hair styling tools. She pulls Christen into a hug, Christen nuzzling into her neck. 

 

“Thank you,” Christen replies, smiling as they embrace. 

 

"Ugh, when will you two stop being so damn adorable," Ashlyn says, finally announcing her presence..

 

The couple reluctantly breaks apart at the intrusion. "Hey, Ash," Christen greets brightly. 

 

"Hey," Ashlyn replies. "I came to see how you’re doing; I know it’s a new responsibility for you."

 

Christen smiles. "I’m okay so far,” she explains. “Whit is going to help do hair because Tobin is hopeless at it,”  she adds, earning a playful swat from her girlfriend.

 

"I am not," Tobin argues. She sticks her bottom lip out in a faux pout at which Christen just rolls her eyes.

 

"You are too. If you had it your way, everyone would go on stage with the half bun, half pony thing." 

 

"You told me you liked that style."

 

"I like it in you," Christen clarifies. "But not everyone can pull it off like you can." She placates Tobin by pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. 

 

"Okay, I'm beginning to regret stopping by,” Ashlyn quips. “I’ve gotta go to the meet and greet but I’ll be by later.”

 

\---

 

The first part of the show is par for the course but Ali watches curiously as the band exits the stage for the cover song, leaving just Ashlyn and and acoustic guitar. She double checks that the blonde is in her camera’s viewfinder as Ashlyn begins to announce what song she’s going to play.

 

“This is a song that I’ve been loving recently,” Ashlyn explains, adjusting her capo before launching into an acoustic version of “Love Yourself”. It’s one of the hottest songs of the moment, no doubt, and the entire band and crew has been listening to it since its release but everyone knows there’s deeper meaning behind the song selection.

 

The crowd is absolutely silent as Ashlyn weaves her way through the emotional rendition, pouring all of her emotions from the last few days into a song that so fully encapsulates everything she’s gone through with the woman who betrayed her. 

 

The mood don’t stay low for long, however, as the band rejoins her for the remainder of the show, the fans dancing and singing along as usual and Ashlyn thanks them for being such a wonderful audience before making her way off stage for the night. 

 

“Oh my god,” Ali says as a way of greeting when Ashlyn comes backstage. “That song was a stroke of genius.”

 

“You think so?” Ashlyn asks, dimple on display. “I was kind of nervous about it,” she adds.

 

“No, it was perfect,” Ali says. “Everyone back here went wild when you started playing.”

  
“Good, now I can really move on,” Ashlyn says. She smiles at Ali who begins to blush under the blonde’s intense gaze. “I guess we should go catch the bus back to the hotel,” Ashlyn says, breaking the spell. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all your comments on the last chapter! I was planning on posting this tomorrow but decided to go easy on you since you were so wonderful last chapter. 
> 
> How do you think Ashlyn handled the leak (other than the major freakout thinking Ali had something to do with it)? What'd you think of her confession? Do you think she'll make a move on her own or will she need a little push?


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After playing all over Asia and Oceania, the band finally heads to Europe. Ali and Ashlyn go shopping and make a little bet. Tobin has a request.

**Thursday, May 12 - Saturday, May 14**

**Frankfurt**

 

The next two months of the tour absolutely fly by as they play all over Asia and Oceania. Ali and Ashlyn continue to get closer the longer the tour goes on and Ali can finally  admit--to herself, at least--that she’s falling for the musician.

 

The first show of the European leg of the tour happens to be in Frankfurt, where Ali had spent a year studying abroad while in college. At this point in the tour, almost everyone has an unofficial seat buddy so it surprises no one when Ali and Ashlyn sit together on the flight to Frankfurt.

 

Headphones draped around her neck, Ali quietly looks out the window for the first hour of their flight, taking in the unique view of the earth that only an airplane can provide.

 

“Are you excited to go to Frankfurt?” Ashlyn asks after the flight attendants pour them each a drink.

 

“I can’t wait,” Ali replies, smiling. She swirls her drink around in the plastic cup, watching the mini whirlpool she creates. “I actually lived there for a year when I studied abroad in college,” she adds.

 

“No way, really? That’s amazing,” Ashlyn exclaims.

 

Ali looks over at the blonde, appreciating the way the sleeves of her t shirt cling to her biceps. She’d learned a few days into the tour that Ashlyn almost always works out in the hotel gym in the morning. Not to keep in shape, though it certainly helps, but as a form of stress relief. There’s no doubt that Ashlyn has a great band and crew, the majority of her crew often carrying more than their own weight, but Ali can’t even begin to fathom the pressure the musician feels. She’s a young woman in charge of a world tour and all tour happenings are a reflection of her. Ali has taken to joining Ashlyn during her morning workouts, both enjoying the company as much as the stress relief and health benefits. The two women are unsurprisingly competitive and push each other, the results of which are clearly visible through Ashlyn’s thin shirt sleeves.

 

“I’m pretty impressive,” Ali says, smirking.

 

“You are,” Ashlyn agrees. She looks at Ali as if she’s never met someone so wonderful (she hasn’t, at least in her opinion). “Do you speak German?” she asks and Ali nods. “You should be my tour guide; show me your old stomping grounds.”

 

Ali smiles, thinking of all the places she could show the blonde. “I would love to be your tour guide,” she says.

 

They chat for hours in the air, so engrossed in each other that the hours and miles slip by unnoticed. Over the last few months, they have cultivated a level of comfort that comes only with time and spending nearly 24 hours a day in one another’s presence. They playfully antagonize one another and trade funny stories from the tour thus far, stifling their giggles to avoid disturbing their fellow passengers. Their high spirits dissipate, however, when they deplane and Ali’s luggage is nowhere to be found. She doesn’t think it’s possible at first, given that she has three full sized suitcases--how in the world could an airline lose that many bags--but after nearly an hour of waiting at the luggage carousel, she finally comes to her conclusion that her bags are not going to appear. She’s beginning to panic when Ashlyn places a calming hand on her shoulder.

 

“Let’s go to guest services and ask what’s going on, okay?” Ashlyn says calmly. “They’ll turn up eventually,” she adds, seeing the panic in Ali’s eyes.

 

Their trip to guest services does little to ease Ali’s worries. They tell her that all bags have been unloaded from their flight and that her bags must have been routed to the wrong destination. They take her contact information and promise to call when and if her missing luggage shows up. She communicates with them in German and, despite the situation, Ashlyn feels herself increasingly attracted to the brunette. She can’t understand what they’re saying, of course, but Ali sounds upset so she knows the news isn’t good.

 

“It’s gone,” Ali says, defeated, as they exit the airport. The rest of the band has already departed for the hotel so the two women grab a cab out front.

 

“I’m so sorry, Al. It’ll turn up in a few days,” Ashlyn comforts, putting her arm around Ali’s shoulders in the back seat of the cab. “Hey, since Whitney took my stuff to the hotel, how about we go shopping and get you stuff to wear until we get your luggage back? My treat.”

 

Ali smiles at Ashlyn’s never ending generosity. “Are you sure? You don’t have to.”

 

“I know,” Ashlyn replies. “But we can’t have you running around naked for the next few days. I mean, how would that look for the tour?”

 

Ali laughs for the first time since realizing her luggage is gone. “Right, can’t have me making you look bad. Good thing I’ve been working out,” she quips, flexing for emphasis.

 

“I’ve created a monster,” Ashlyn says as the cab pulls away from the curb.

 

They shop for several hours, Ali trying on seemingly endless amounts of clothes in search of the right replacements. A few times, Ashlyn is unable to resist trying things on herself and they playfully model their new finds in the fitting rooms, strutting as if they’re on a runway. At the shoe store, Ashlyn jokingly tries on a pair of sky high sparkly heels--a massive departure from her usual tomboy rocker style--and Ali laughs so hard that tears stream down her face and her stomach hurts even as her own shoes are rung up five minutes later. Unsurprisingly, it feels natural, shopping together, each being patient when the other wants to check out a store and offering honest opinions about their finds.

 

Ashlyn ends up buying Ali enough clothes to outfit her for at least three weeks and a new suitcase to put everything in. She knows it’s a little excessive--Ali had tried to talk Ashlyn out of some of it--but the brunette looked so effortlessly beautiful in everything she tried on that Ashlyn couldn’t resist. She’s always enjoyed spoiling people she loves, even before she had the money, and she knows that every single penny is worth it to make Ali smile and stop worrying about her lost belongings. Hearing Ali laugh when Ashlyn tries on ridiculous items is an added bonus of their day together, and Ashlyn is reluctant for it to end.

 

They stop for  dinner at one of Ali’s favorite places from her college days and Ashlyn watches, mesmerized as Ali interacts with their waiter in German. Ali insists on paying for dinner as a small way to thank Ashlyn for her earlier generosity. After their meal, they opt to walk to the hotel, Ashlyn dragging Ali’s new (and very full) suitcase  behind them as Ali navigates them through familiar Frankfurt streets. Ali pauses to point out favorite spots no less than ten times on their six block walk, excitedly gesturing to landmarks and telling funny stories about each of them. If it were anyone else, Ashlyn might become frustrated, desperate to get back to the hotel and relax. Instead, she finds herself dreading the end of their day together and asks questions about the city, enjoying the way Ali’s face lights up at her sincere interest.

 

They arrive back at the hotel long after the streetlamps have come on, rain dampened concrete sparkling under the lights. They quickly pick up their keys from the front desk and make their way to their fourth floor rooms, Ashlyn still pulling Ali’s suitcase behind her (she’d argued that Ali couldn’t point out favorite spots if she had to pull the suitcase around). They reach Ashlyn’s door first, pausing outside while she reaches for her key. Before she can even slip her hotel key out of her back pocket, Ali unexpectedly throws her arms around her shoulders, pulling her into a tight embrace. Ashlyn, never one to turn down a hug, reciprocates until Ali finally breaks away.

 

“That was quite a hug from someone who doesn’t like hugs,” Ashlyn quips.

 

“Sometimes they’re warranted,” Ali responds with a shrug. “Honestly, I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done today.”

 

Ashlyn smiles. “Don’t worry about it, I like spoiling people I care about.”

 

“Well I really appreciate it,” Ali says, reaching for the suitcase handle. “Have a good night; I’ll see you tomorrow.”

 

“‘Night,” Ashlyn says. She finally enters her hotel room, kicking her shoes off just inside the door.

 

“How’s your girlfriend?” Whitney asks from her place in bed. Her hair is up in a messy ponytail and she looks ready to fall asleep after a day of travel and Ashlyn knows that she was waiting up for her.

 

“Whit,” Ashlyn warns. They’d discussed her feelings for Ali shortly after Ashlyn’s late night confession to Heather (she can’t keep things from Whitney for long) and like a true best friend, Whitney had encouraged her to act on her feelings. Whitney is certain that Ashlyn’s feelings for Ali are reciprocated but Ashlyn has yet to be convinced enough to make a move. Sure, Ali seems to flirt with her but Ali’s outgoing personality makes it seem as if she’s flirting with _everyone,_ intentional or not. Ali had casually mentioned previous relationships with women so the question is not if Ali likes girls, it’s if Ali likes Ashlyn enough to be instantly pushed into the spotlight. It’s a lot to ask of someone, Ashlyn knows and while she suspects that Ali has feelings for her too, she’s not sure if they’re strong enough to deal with all the attention that will come with a relationship.

 

“I know, I know,” Whitney concedes. “But I really think you should make a move. You’ll kick yourself when the tour is over if you don’t at least try.”

 

“We’ve been over this,” Ashlyn says as she slips out of her clothes and into her pajamas. She settles into her own bed before continuing, “I want to, Whit, I really do, but I need more time to consider everything, okay?”

 

“I swear, our friendship is over if your next album is all unrequited love songs with no happy ending,” Whitney jokes.

 

Ashlyn’s still laughing even as she turns off the bedside lamp.

 

\---

 

Everyone has the day off the next day, other than an early morning load-in so pretty much everyone pitches in to complete the task quickly and efficiently. The process is almost complete when Ali makes her way to the large, communal dressing room in search of a bathroom. She’s checking her phone when she enters and when she looks up, she’s taken aback by the sight of Tobin hovering over Christen on the couch, trailing kisses down the her neck.

 

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry,” Ali exclaims when the couple look at her, seemingly frustrated at the intrusion.

 

“It’s cool,” Tobin says, getting off of her girlfriend and wiping her mouth. “I told her we were going to get caught,” she adds.

 

“Not my fault that _someone_ was taking their time,” Christen responds. She sits up on the couch, leaving room for Tobin next to her. “Guess we just need to room together from now on,” she suggests, glancing at Tobin for approval.

 

“Not rooming together recently didn’t make us any more subtle, did it?” Tobin questions.

 

“Not at all,” Ali answers. Like everyone else, she’d suspected something was up between the two but didn’t feel like it was her place to ask, especially since it seemed like they were attempting to keep it quiet as they figured things out. As they explain themselves, Ali learns that the couple has been together since before tour started and have been attempting to keep it on the down low for the last three months. Apparently they’ve been unsuccessful because, as Ali comes to find out, she’s one of the last to learn about the relationship.

 

\---

 

The day’s work is completed by lunchtime and everyone begins making plans for the rest of the day. Ali ends up showing Ashlyn, Whitney, HAO, Syd, Alex, Moe, and Pinoe around the city for a few hours while Liz, Kelley, and Crystal opt to nap at the hotel before going out for the night. Others decide to do their own thing, whether it be enjoying quiet time at the hotel or exploring the city in pairs and small groups.

 

Almost everyone is exhausted by the end of dinner and decide to head back to the hotel to relax and mentally prepare for the show tomorrow. Ali is excited for a quiet night in and plans on watching the Nationals game and re-reading _The Little Prince_ until she passes out. Just as she’s cracking open her book, her phone starts ringing, forcing her to put the bookmark back in and set the book on the nightstand.

 

“Hello?” she answers, seeing that Liz is calling.

 

“I met a guy,” Liz says. The background is noisy and Ali assumes she’s still at the bar.

 

“And?” Ali asks quietly, though she knows what Liz is getting at.

 

“Can you crash with someone else tonight? I’m bringing him back to the hotel,” Liz explains.

 

Ali rolls her eyes, knowing that she doesn’t have much of a choice in this situation. She’s been on both ends of this situation before when she and Liz were roommates in college so she knows she has to follow best friend and roommate protocol here. “Fine but you owe me brunch tomorrow,” Ali agrees.

 

“Deal. You are my very best friend,” Liz exclaims before hanging up.

 

Ali reluctantly rolls out of bed and begins packing enough personal items to get herself through the night. She mentally runs through a very short list of people she could crash with for the night, finally settling on Ashlyn and Whitney. She considers asking Becky for a moment before remembering that her boyfriend is visiting, for which Whitney had assigned Becky her own room. She knows that Liz will give her shit for going to Ashlyn but she feels as if it’s the best option and fires off a quick text, hoping Ashlyn isn’t already asleep.

 

_Ali: I’m being sexiled by Liz. Can I crash with you and Whit? I promise I don’t snore_

_Ashlyn: you totally snore_

_Ashlyn: we roomed together in Thailand and you definitely snore_

_Ali: not any more than you snore_

_Ashlyn: I had a cold you can’t hold that against me_

_Ashlyn: you can sleep in here only if you promise to wear a Breathe Right strip_

_Ashlyn: come down whenever you want you remember where my room is_

_Ali: I hate you_

_Ali: be there in a few_

 

Ali smiles as she finishes getting her stuff together. She doesn’t know how long Liz’s date will be here in the morning, so she makes sure to pack an outfit for the next day as well as anything she might need during the night or early morning.

 

Ashlyn’s door is propped open with the metal safety lock when Ali arrives and she smiles at the simple yet thoughtful gesture. Hands full, she bumps the door open with her hip and enters the room, already searching for a place to put her stuff amongst the many suitcases already littering the room.

 

“You moving in?” Ashlyn jokes from her place in bed. Her hair, like Ali’s, is tied up in a messy bun, and she’s wearing a loose cutoff tank, her sports bra peeking out on the sides.

 

“I don’t know how I could with all your shit in here,” Ali responds, gesturing to Ashlyn and Whitney’s suitcases, many of which are open, their contents strewn about the room. “Hey Whit,” she greets.

 

“Hi,” Whitney responds. “You can drop your stuff anywhere,” she says, noticing that Ali seems to be looking for a place to put her carry on and purse.

 

Ali nods and finally stacks them on top of one of Ashlyn’s closed suitcases.

 

“You want my bed?” Whitney asks once Ali gets her belongings situated. “I can sleep with Ash.”

 

Ali pauses, only now realizing that she hadn’t considered where she would sleep. “It’s fine, I can sleep on the floor,” she says.

 

“You’re not sleeping on the floor,” Ashlyn says flatly. “You can sleep with me, there’s plenty of space,” she offers. She gently pats the space next to her to emphasize her point.

 

“Okay,” Ali agrees, grabbing her phone charger out of her purse before crossing the room to Ashlyn’s bed. She plugs her phone in by the nightstand and finally climbs into bed, feeling infinitely more relaxed as she gets settled under the covers. The bed is just big enough for two people to fit comfortably but neither woman minds the tight space.

 

Whitney falls asleep within minutes so Ali and Ashlyn keep their voices down as they talk and scroll through their phones, pausing every so often to show each other funny things they see. Ali switches back and forth between instagram and the livestream of the Nationals game back home while Ashlyn scrolls through twitter. “What game is that?” Ashlyn asks, gesturing to Ali’s phone.

 

“Nationals and Marlins,” Ali replies. She tilts her phone a little so Ashlyn can get a better view as Ashlyn snuggles into her side. Ashlyn roots for the Marlins--a Florida girl through and through--while Ali is strictly a DC sports fan, true to her own roots. They quietly cheer for their respective teams through the first three innings, their eyes becoming heavier with each play.

 

“Marlins are going to win this series,” Ashlyn ribs quietly. She’s on the verge of sleep but still can’t resist giving Ali a hard time.

 

“No way. Nats are going to crush,” Ali asserts.

 

“How about this: if the Nats win the series, I’ll treat you to a nice dinner. If the Marlins win, you have to treat me,” Ashlyn offers.

 

“Deal,” Ali says.

 

They continue watching the game but both are ready to fall asleep by the end of the third inning so Ali closes the app and sets her phone down on the nightstand. She carefully scooches farther into bed and rolls over onto her stomach, her preferred sleeping position. Ashlyn’s on her side, teetering on the verge of sleep, and Ali marvels at how adorable the blonde is before drifting off to sleep herself, her heart racing at sharing a small bed together.

 

\---

 

Whitney rises first the next morning, quietly getting ready for the day as her two friends continue to sleep. After nearly 30 minutes, Whitney finally breaks and takes a picture of the pair’s sleeping positions: Ashlyn with her arm draped around Ali and Ali’s head snuggled into her chest. They look so much like a couple that Whitney rolls her eyes as she reminds herself that they’re not. She texts the photo to Liz, followed by several eye roll emojis, as she makes her way downstairs just minutes before Ali and Ashlyn wake up. She and Liz had roomed together in Italy just a week earlier and bemoaned the positions as the go betweens for the will-they-won’t-they pair.

 

Ashlyn wakes first but stays still until Ali’s eyes flutter open, adjusting to the daylight streaming in through the window over Ashlyn’s shoulder. “Morning,” Ashlyn says, finally moving her arm. “Did you sleep well?”

 

Ali mumbles an affirmative response before reluctantly shifting away from Ashlyn, immediately missing her warmth. “Sorry, I get cuddly when I sleep,” Ali says, her voice raspy.

 

“I’m always down for cuddling,” Ashlyn says, smirking. Her need to use the bathroom becomes too great before Ali can respond so Ashlyn quickly throws the covers off and makes her way across the room. When she returns, she finds Ali up and gathering her things.

 

“Liz said it’s safe to come back,” Ali explains in response to Ashlyn’s confused expression. “Thanks again for letting me sleep with you.”

 

“Anytime,” Ashlyn says, more sincerely than Ali knows. “I’ll see you later.”

 

Ali lugs her belongings back down that hall and into her and Liz’s room. “How was last night?” Ali asks when she sees Liz lounging in bed.

 

“Good,” Liz responds. She has a blissful smile on her face that only sex or _really_ good chocolate could provide and although Ali is happy for her friend, she’s also somewhat jealous. “He was really sweet and pretty good in bed so I have no complaints.”

 

Ali dramatically flops down onto her bed. “Ughhh,” she moans, earning a curious look from Liz.

 

“You okay?” Liz questions.

 

Ali turns her head to look at Liz. “Everyone is getting laid on tour except me,” she whines. Liz laughs and sits on the edge of Ali’s bed, gently pushing Ali’s hair back from her face.

 

“Honey,” she says softly. “If you want to get laid, you and I both know what door you need to knock on.”

 

“Don’t,” Ali warns. “She could have anyone on any part of the gender and sexuality spectrum, so it’s not like--” Ali begins but is cut off by Liz who has heard this argument many, many times.

 

“I know, even I’ve propositioned her a few times and you know how much I love men,” Liz responds, wiggling her eyebrows.

 

“You have not.”

 

“I have too, you can ask her,” Liz asserts.

 

“Why would you do that?”

 

Liz shrugs. “She’s hot and plays piano and guitar. I figured she’d be good with her hands.”

 

“Liz,” Ali whines.

 

“Don’t even try to tell me you haven’t watched her play and thought about how good she would be in bed,” Liz admonishes.

 

“I…” Ali trails off, shaking her head in disbelief at the turn this conversation took. “Of course I have,” she admits.

 

“Good. And don’t worry, she turned me down every time because she wants you and she can’t have you if she sleeps with me first; it’s against code.”

 

“She told you that?” Ali asks. She finally sits up and faces her friend, waiting on bated breath for her answer.

 

“No,” Liz admits. “But can you think of any other reason someone would turn this down?” she asks, gesturing up and down her body.

 

Ali rolls her eyes. “You’re too much.” She pauses for a moment, gathering her thoughts. “Look,” she begins, “I know there’s something between us but it’s complicated, okay? She’s such a big celebrity and I really have to make sure I’ll be able to handle the media and fan attention. Plus, she’s my friend and I would much rather have her in my life as a friend than not at all if it didn’t work out”.

 

Liz looks at her sympathetically. “I get it, I really do,” she says. “But I still think you should make a move.”

 

“I want to,” Ali says wistfully. “But not just yet.”

 

Ali is looking down, tugging at a string on the corner of her pillowcase and Liz knows not to press the issue anymore. She takes mercy on her struggling best friend, dropping the conversation and telling Ali about her night out with Kelley and Crystal. They end up chatting for about an hour before they have to start getting ready for soundcheck and the night’s show.

 

\---

 

Just after soundcheck, Tobin pulls Ashlyn aside. “Do you have a cover song for tonight?” she asks.

 

“I had an idea for one but we haven’t finalized anything. Why?”

 

Tobin glances around, ensuring that they’re alone. “I want to dedicate a song to Christen,” she says.

 

Ashlyn smiles, always a sucker for a romantic gesture. “Which one?”

 

“Press,” Tobin quips.

 

“Funny,” Ashlyn deadpans. “What song?”

 

“Tiny Dancer.”

 

“That’s perfect,” Ashlyn exclaims. She mentally goes over the lyrics, amazed at how she’d never thought of how much it sounded like Christen before. “Do you want me to say both of your names when I announce it?”

 

“Yeah, you can say I wanted to dedicate it to her. Thank you so much,” Tobin says, smiling.

 

“No problem,” Ashlyn replies. “You want to come listen while we learn it? I’m about to round up the band.”

 

“I would love to but I need to help her get the hair and makeup stuff ready for tonight,” Tobin answers.

 

The band is thrilled to learn the reason behind the cover song for the night and works harder than normal to perfect the tune. It’s a classic and everyone wants to do it justice in addition to wanting to do right by their friends.

 

Meanwhile, Tobin gives Liz, Ali, and Becky a heads up about the song, and they all agree that Becky can catch Christen’s reaction on camera while Ali and Liz focus on capturing the song itself.

 

The cover song doesn’t come until near the end of the show, so everyone in the know anxiously awaits the dedication until finally Ashlyn and the band get set up for the cover. “How is everyone doing tonight?” Ashlyn asks, earning a loud cheer from the crowd. “I have a very special song I’d like to play for you guys, would that be okay?” she questions. The crowd cheers again and Ashlyn smiles, soaking it all in. “My good friend Tobin wants to dedicate this song to Christen. It’s called ‘Tiny Dancer’ and if you know it, please sing along,” she says. She’s sitting at the grand piano for this one and can’t help but smile as she plays the first few notes.

 

Backstage, Christen fights back tears as Ashlyn sings a beautiful rendition of the classic song while Tobin wraps her arms around her from behind and kisses her on the head. They stand there swaying throughout the song, taking in as much of the moment at they can. “I love you,” Tobin whispers so only Christen can hear after the song ends.

 

Christen spins around in Tobin’s arms, a massive smile on her face. “Say it again,” she requests. “I want to see your face when you say it.”

 

“I love you,” Tobin repeats.

 

“I love you too,” Christen responds, drawing her in for a kiss.

  
As much as Ali wants to look away and give the couple a semblance of privacy, she can’t help but curiously watch their interactions. In some ways, Tobin and Christen’s story resembles her and Ashlyn’s: they’d met because of the tour documentary and had undeniable chemistry from the start. But it had been easier for them, Ali knows, without the pressure of millions upon millions of fans and media watching and dissecting their every move. They’d jumped into a relationship fearlessly, like a child jumping off of a swing set, which Ali greatly admires. It would be worth it, she finally decides, dealing with media and fan pressure to be with Ashlyn and she knows it’s only a matter of time before she won’t be able to take it any longer and has to confess her feelings to Ashlyn.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo I think you're going to like the next chapter ;) let me know your favorite parts, what you're hoping to see, your favorite characters, etc. and I'll take pity on you and (hopefully) post it early this weekend. I have no shame ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> Also, who do you think is going to make the first move? Will they need a push?


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tour stops in Paris. Will the city of love finally spark things between Ali and Ashlyn?

**Wednesday, June 1 - Thursday, June 2**

**Paris**

 

The Nationals and Marlins split the four game series so Ali and Ashlyn’s bet is put on hold for a while until the teams meet for a three game series near the end of May. After the stop in Frankfurt, they play two shows in Berlin before moving through Eastern and Southern Europe. Ali’s luggage is eventually found (in Luxembourg of all places) and overnighted to Warsaw, their first stop after Berlin. 

 

Ali ultimately wins the bet when the Nationals sweep the Marlins in the three game series in late May. Ashlyn grumbles, of course, being the competitive person she is, but makes good on their bet nonetheless, treating Ali to a delicious dinner in Stockholm. 

 

They arrive in Paris in early June, sunshine and warmth helping the city live up to its claim of being the most romantic city in the world. All of the couples on tour are excited about having a few days off in Paris before they play two shows in the city over the weekend. 

 

Sick of all the back and forth will-they-won’t-they between Ashlyn and Ali, Whitney assigns the pair to room together for their four night stay, hoping that will help move things along.

 

“This is us,” Ali says, gesturing to room 1118. She slides her key into the lock and swings the door open, immediately impressed by the view. They’re on the top floor of the hotel and have a clear view of the Eiffel Tower out their window. Ali doesn’t think anything of it but Ashlyn curiously wonders if Whitney had something to do with their room location (everyone else is on the lower floors). Ali stands at the window, admiring the view from their room while Ashlyn stands a few feet back, focused only on the sunlight streaming in, enveloping Ali in an almost heavenly glow. Ashlyn quickly snaps a picture of Ali looking out the window, thankful that she doesn’t notice. Ali finally turns back around a few moments later, so radiant it almost pains Ashlyn. 

 

“It’s beautiful,” Ali says.

 

“It sure is,” Ashlyn agrees, grinning. She pauses for a moment, realizing that these next few days sharing a room with Ali will be a real test of her willpower if she doesn’t act on her feelings soon. She quickly explains to Ali that she has to talk to Whitney about something and makes her way back to the elevators, not even taking time to unpack. 

 

A few floors down, Whitney hasn’t even kicked her shoes off yet when there’s a knock on the door. 

 

“That’s it,” Ashlyn says as soon as Whit cracks open the door. They retreat farther inside and Ashlyn waves at Crystal before continuing, “I can’t ignore my feelings anymore”. 

 

Whitney gently takes Ashlyn’s hand. “Wow,” she says, pretending to cry. “This has been a long time coming but I always knew you had a thing for me,” she says dramatically. 

 

“Not for you, you fool. You already know how much I love you,” Ashlyn says, dropping Whitney’s hand. 

 

“Who then?” Whitney questions, pretending to think things over, eliciting a laugh from Crystal in the process. 

 

“Look,” Ashlyn begins as she formulates a plan, “I want to ask Ali out on a date. Will you help me find a place to take her?”. 

 

Ashlyn’s words are calm but Whitney can see the nerves in the way Ashlyn bounces on her toes a little, toying with the black hair tie on her wrist as she speaks. “Of course I will,” Whitney agrees.

 

Ashlyn extends an offer to Crystal, who gladly accepts, and the three leave the hotel in search of the perfect date spot. After checking a few places out, they finally settle on a rooftop restaurant not too far from the hotel. The view of the Eiffel Tower is spectacular and, best of all, they have a corner table available for the next night so they will be able to spend their evening without worrying about who might be watching. They walk around for a bit after Ashlyn makes the reservation, stopping to shop and take pictures as they see things they like. They’re walking by a very expensive looking boutique when Ashlyn stops dead in her tracks, causing Whitney to bump into her. 

 

“Your brake lights are out,” Whitney quips.

 

“Look at that dress,” Ashlyn says, pointing inside the store. 

 

“You gonna wear a dress for your date?” Crystal jokes, knowing that her boss would rather go naked than ever wear a dress. 

 

“I would pay to see that,” Whitney says. 

 

“No, for Ali,” Ashlyn says. She enters the small shop and begins to look around, Whitney and Crystal pointing out things they like. They quickly learn that the boutique is as expensive as it looks but that does little to deter Ashlyn who still has her eyes on the black dress she spotted through the window. The top is black mesh, cut into a deep v, while the rest is plain black material that looks like it would fall to Ali’s knees. 

 

“What are you going to wear?” Whitney asks as Ashlyn carries Ali’s size to the register. 

 

“Don’t know,” Ashlyn says, pulling out her credit card and handing it to the salesperson. “Guess I have to get something for myself. She turns her attention back to the cashier, who thanks them for shopping there and wraps Ali’s dress in a giftbox, per Ashlyn’s request. New purchase in hand, they thank the young woman and head back out of the shop. 

 

Ashlyn ends up picking out a grey suit and vest with a grey checkered button down and black tie to pull everything together. It’s a men’s cut so after she makes her purchase, a pair of seamstresses pin the suit to fit her perfectly as she stands on a little pedestal. She pays them extra to have her suit ready by the next afternoon and gives them permission to let Whitney pick it up, just in case she can’t make it down herself. 

 

They return to the hotel after they eat dinner at a little bistro next to the hotel. The room is empty when Ashlyn gets back but there’s a note on her pillow, written on hotel stationery. 

 

_ Went to get drinks with some of the gals. Shouldn’t be out too late.--Alex.  _

 

Ashlyn takes being alone in the room as an opportunity to finally get situated, unloading some of the clothes she plans on wearing during their stay into the hotel dresser. She also puts some finishing touches on plans for tomorrow before settling into bed just after 11. Ali arrives shortly after, slipping into the room quietly. 

 

“Hey, how was it?” Ashlyn asks as Ali sets her small clutch down on the desk. 

 

“It was good,” Ali replies, smiling. “I’m always amazed at how much Kelley can drink,” she notes.

 

“Yeah, she can drink anyone under a table; I think it’s the Irish in her,” Ashlyn jokes. 

 

Ali laughs, gathering her pajamas and going into the bathroom to get ready for bed. When she returns, Ashlyn is still sitting up in bed. “Hey, Al?” Ashlyn says. 

 

“Yeah?” Ali questions, slipping under her covers. 

 

“Do you have any plans for tomorrow night?” Ashlyn asks as she mimics Ali’s moves and gets under her own blankets, settling onto her side and resting her head in her hand so she can see Ali.

 

“No, not yet,” Ali says. 

 

Ashlyn takes a deep breath, knowing what needs to come next. “Would you like to go on a date with me?” She asks, sure that Ali can hear the shakiness in her voice. 

 

Ali looks pleasantly surprised, which Ashlyn takes as a good sign while she waits for a response. “Of course,” Ali answers. 

 

“Cool,” Ashlyn says, feeling as if she might burst from happiness. “I have a few errands to run in the morning and I’ll get ready in Whit’s room but I’ll come back up here to get you around 7. Would that be okay?”

 

“That’s perfect,” Ali says with a trademark nose crinkling smile. 

 

Ashlyn flips off the bedside lamp. “Goodnight,” she says.

 

“Night, Ash,” Ali replies, still smiling. 

 

\---

 

Ashlyn rises early the next morning, too anxious to sleep any longer. She tries to remind herself that she’s had countless dinners out with Ali--many of which felt like dates--but this is their first official date and Ashlyn is filled with an exhilarating combination of excitement and nerves. She quietly changes and gathers anything she might need to get ready for her date with Ali and heads down to Whitney’s room before Ali wakes up. 

 

Whitney is already up and ready for the day when Ashlyn arrives so Ashlyn drops her stuff off and they exit the hotel in search of breakfast. They feast on croissants, fruit, and coffee at an outdoor cafe near the Arc de Triomphe, a favorite spot from their previous visits to Paris. They chat throughout the meal, filling each other in on how their families are doing and discussing Ashlyn’s plans for the date. As they’re about to leave, Ashlyn receives a message that her suit is ready so they navigate their way to the small suit shop on the way back to the hotel. 

 

“That fits you perfectly,” Whitney says as Ashlyn models the now tailored suit.

 

“You think Ali will like it?” Ashlyn asks hopefully.

 

“I think she’d rather it be on your hotel room floor but, yeah, I think she’ll love it,” Whitney replies. 

 

Ashlyn carefully sheds the suit in her fitting room and secures it back in the garment bag, ensuring that she has all the pieces before she and Whitney exit the shop. Back out on the sidewalk, she spots an adorable flower shop across the street and motions for Whitney to follow her as she looks both ways and crosses. 

 

“What are you thinking of getting?” Whitney questions as they browse through rows of different types of flowers. 

 

Ashlyn pauses her search for a moment. “Well red roses are a classic but I was also thinking about violets,” she explains. 

 

“Violets?” Whitney questions. 

 

Ashlyn nods and quickly explains that when she was younger and first realized she likes girls, she would scour the internet looking for ways to subtly tell a girl she was interested. In her searches, she’d stumbled upon several articles that stated that women used to send each other violets if they were interested in each other in a romantic way. 

 

“That’s awesome, I had no idea,” Whit says once Ashlyn has finished explaining her choice. “How about you send a bouquet with both?” she suggests. 

 

“You’re a genius,” Ashlyn compliments, smiling. She quickly locates the florist and places her order to be delivered to her and Ali’s room in a few hours, at four o’clock. 

 

\---

 

Back at the hotel, Ali has just woken up and immediately texts Liz about her impending date with Ashlyn. Liz’s ‘read’ stamp has only just appeared when she starts banging on Ali’s door. 

 

“God you’re fast,” Ali says as she swings the door open, letting her friend inside. 

 

“Yeah, well I’ve been waiting for that text for  _ months  _ now so I was ready to spring into action as soon as I saw it,” Liz explains. Both women take a seat on Ali’s bed, sitting cross legged and facing each other. “Okay so how’d it happen?” Liz questions.

 

“She just asked me after I got back last night. First she asked if I had plans for tonight and when I said no, she asked if I would like to go on a date with her tonight. I said yes and we fell asleep,” Ali explains, smiling the whole time. 

 

“Have you decided what to wear yet?” Liz asks.

 

“Nope,” Ali says. “I’m going to need your help there but first I need to shower and I need coffee,” she adds. 

 

Ali showers quickly and runs her Wet Brush through her hair when she finishes, leaving her long hair down to air dry a little as she and Liz grab brunch downstairs at the hotel’s restaurant, Liz electing to have a mimosa with her meal while Ali has her much needed coffee. They return to the room after finishing up and Ali blow dries her hair the rest of the way while Liz watches Paris morning shows on TV. 

 

A few hours later, Ali is modeling one of her many outfit options when there’s a knock on the door. Thinking that it must be someone from tour, she opens the door without looking through the peephole and is surprised to see a flower deliveryman standing in the doorway. 

 

“Ali?” the man questions in a thick French accent. 

 

“Yes,” Ali says.

 

“These are for you,” he says, passing the large bouquet, housed in a beautiful vase, into Ali’s arms. 

 

“Thank you,” Ali says, closing the door after the man nods and walks away. She turns back into the hotel room and sets the heavy vase down on the dresser. 

 

“Oh my god,” Liz exclaims, jumping off the bed to get a closer look at the arrangement. The deep purple violets and red roses are expertly mingled together, creating a beautiful display and pleasant aroma. “Look, there’s a note,” Liz says, pointing to a little envelope sticking out of one side. 

 

Ali smiles, quickly but carefully opening the envelope and taking out the little card inside, instantly recognizing Ashlyn’s handwriting. 

 

_ Can’t wait for our date tonight. Don’t stress too much about what to wear; you’ll look beautiful no matter what ;) -- Love, Ash.  _

 

Ali wordlessly hands the card to Liz when she’s done, grinning so hard that her face starts to hurt. 

 

“Damn, your girl has game,” Liz compliments, handing the card back to Ali who slips it back into the envelope. 

 

“No kidding,” Ali replies, immediately putting the note in a secure pocket on her carry-on so it won’t get lost or damaged. “Okay, back to outfit time,” Ali says, still smiling. 

 

Ali tries on a few more options and Liz begins to wonder just how many outfits she’ll try on when there’s another knock on the door. 

 

“Ali?” A woman Ali recognizes as an employee of the hotel questions. She’s holding a large but thin gift box wrapped in a black ribbon. 

 

“That’s me,” Ali says, taking the box from the woman and thanking her. 

 

“What now?” Liz asks, seeing the box in Ali’s hands. 

 

“I have no idea,” Ali answers, shrugging. She sets the box down on Ashlyn’s bed and unties the ribbon that’s securing the top on. She tosses the ribbon aside and lifts the lid off, setting that aside as well. “Wow,” she says as she pulls a beautiful black dress out from under the tissue paper, another note falling out as Ali lifts the knee length dress out of the box. 

 

“She has good taste in women and dresses,” Liz admires as Ali passes the dress to her. 

 

Ali nods, unfolding the note that fell onto the floor between the two beds. 

 

_ Alex, _

_ I told you not to worry about what to wear but I’m sure you didn’t listen. Hope this helps. -- Ash _

_ P.S. You don’t have to wear this, I just thought of you when I saw it yesterday.  _

 

Ali’s so touched by Ashlyn’s continuing thoughtfulness that she’s on the verge of tears when she finishes reading the note. 

 

“You okay?” Liz asks gently. She carefully lays the dress flat on Ashlyn’s bed and rubs comforting circles on Ali’s back. 

 

Ali takes a few minutes to calm herself. “Yeah,” she says finally. “Just a little overwhelmed.” She pauses for a moment, gathering her thoughts. “I like her a lot and I really want this to work out,” she explains. 

 

Liz nods, knowing exactly where Ali is coming from. Ali and Ashlyn have become incredibly close over the last few months and Liz knows as well as anyone what’s at stake for them as they enter these new, uncharted territories. It’s part of the reason they held back for so long, not wanting anything to get in the way of the beautiful friendship they’ve cultivated but knowing that neither would truly be content with being just friends without at least trying to date. “It’s going to be okay, got it? You’re going to go out and have a great time and it’ll be just like all the other meals you’ve had together except this time you can give her a goodnight kiss, okay?”

 

Ali takes a deep breath. “Got it,” she says, visibly calmer than a few moments ago.

 

“This is going to be a great story to tell your kids someday,” Liz says, smirking. 

 

“Don’t jinx it,” Ali admonishes.

 

“Sorry,” Liz says. “Now let’s get you ready for this date.”

 

Ali slips into a hotel robe and Liz helps her curl her hair into loose waves as they discuss what kind of makeup look Ali should go for. They settle on a natural looking face and nude lipstick, leaving all of the focus on her eye makeup. Ali is a little jittery so Liz has to remind her to stop fidgeting several times as she tries to get Ali’s eyeliner even.

 

\---

 

Down in Whitney and Crystal’s room, Ashlyn is also dealing with first date jitters. Although she had purchased a three piece suit, all three women agreed that Ashlyn should forgo the jacket and just wear the checkered button down, vest, tie, and pants. She straightens her hair, leaving it down and loose and swipes a little mascara across her eyelashes, satisfied with minimal makeup. 

 

“Do you think it was too much, sending the dress and flowers?” Ashlyn asks as she straightens her tie. 

 

“I’m sure Ali loved it,” Whitney says. 

 

“I would love it if someone did that for me,” Crystal agrees. “And don’t forget the tour motto: go hard or go home,” she adds.

 

“You’re probably right,” Ashlyn says, still fiddling with her tie. 

 

“Stop,” Whitney says, putting her hand over Ashlyn’s so she can’t move the tie anymore. “It looks perfect. Stop worrying so much, Ali likes you and you’re going to be fine, okay?”

 

“Okay,” Ashlyn says, stuffing her hands into her pockets. There’s quiet for a moment until Ashlyn’s phone rings in her back pocket, her alarm signaling that it’s time for her to pick Ali up. 

 

“Hey,” Whitney begins, meeting her best friend’s eyes, “you look amazing and you’re going to be great. Text me later to let me know how it went.”

 

“Okay,” Ashlyn says, feeling more confident now that the time has come. Whitney snaps a quick picture of her in her suit, looking very much like a proud mother sending her child off to prom. 

 

“Go get your girl,” Whitney says as Ashlyn walks out the door. 

 

\---

 

Up on the 11th floor, Ali reapplies her lipstick one last time before dropping it into her black clutch. “Damn, I look good,” she says, admiring herself in the full length mirror. Ashlyn’s dress fits her perfectly: it clings to all the right places and shows off just enough skin while still being incredibly elegant. 

 

“I can’t believe she bought you that dress just to take it off of you,” Liz jokes from where she’s perched on the edge of Ali’s bed. 

 

Ali laughs until there’s a soft knock on the door. “Here we go.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Going easy on you and posting two days in a row ;)
> 
> As always, I'm curious to know your favorite part(s), etc.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> first date

**Thursday, June 2**

**Paris**

 

“Wow,” Ali says, opening the door to see Ashlyn standing outside. Her grey suit is expertly tailored and her black tie matches Ali’s dress. 

 

“Wow yourself,” Ashlyn says, grinning--her dimple on full display. 

 

“Let me get my purse,” Ali says, retreating back into the room.

 

“Looking good, Ash,” Liz compliments as Ashlyn follows Ali deeper into their hotel room. “Let me take a quick picture, Whit just texted me and said to get one of you two together.”

 

The pair happily oblige the request under the condition that the photo does not get posted to social media and stays between Liz, Whitney, Crystal, Ali, and Ashlyn. If things go well, everyone will find out eventually but they want to keep things to themselves for now. They pose for a few pictures by the window, Eiffel Tower in the background, Ashlyn’s hand tucked into her pocket and Ali’s wrapped around Ashlyn’s bicep. 

 

“Beautiful,” Liz compliments. “Now go have fun; I promise I won’t be here when you get back,” she says, winking at the pair. 

 

They opt to walk to the restaurant after Ashlyn explains that it’s only a few blocks from the hotel. Since it’s a weeknight, the streets are relatively empty, mostly filled with other couples out on dates. Ashlyn is often stopped by fans of every age while walking down the street but this time they make it to the restaurant without interruption, for which both women are thankful. 

 

“I have a reservation for Harris,” Ashlyn says once they reach the hostess stand. The young woman checks the reservation book and nods once she finds Ashlyn’s name. 

 

“Follow me,” she says. She weaves them through the rooftop restaurant to a table in the corner, overlooking the city. 

 

“Wow,” Ali says, admiring the view. They have a clear view of the Eiffel Tower twinkling in the distance and can see all kinds of other Paris landmarks down below. “You really went all out,” Ali says as Ashlyn pulls back her chair for her. 

 

Ashlyn walks around the table to her spot as Ali scooches closer to the table. “Only the best for you,” she says, smiling as she sits down. They order a bottle of champagne from the maître d’ and begin perusing their menus, discussing what dishes sound appetizing and what would pair well with the champagne. 

 

“How was your day today?” Ali questions once they’ve placed their orders. 

 

“It was good but it’s better now that I’m with you,” Ashlyn answers. She’s cheesing, they both know, but there’s a lot of truth in her statement. Any time spent with Ali brightens her day, especially today. “Whit and I got breakfast and picked my suit up from the tailor and now I’m here with you.”

 

“The flowers you sent were so beautiful, you didn’t have to do that,” Ali says. 

 

“Did you like them?”

 

“I love them--I’d never considered that combination before but it was absolutely beautiful,” Ali answers. “Almost as beautiful as you,” she adds after a moment, smirking at the slight blush that appears on Ashlyn’s cheeks. 

 

“You’re not so bad yourself,” Ashlyn compliments once she’s recovered from Ali’s words. “That dress fits you perfectly.”

 

Ali looks down, admiring the dress Ashlyn had selected for her. “It really does, you have excellent taste.”

 

“I can’t wear them but I can pick them,” Ashlyn says.

 

As they wait for their orders, they decide to stand and take a few pictures with the Eiffel Tower in the background. They each take a few different shots of each other and, of course, take a few selfies together before taking their seats again, just as their waiter brings their food over.

 

They eat in relative silence for the first few minutes, only speaking to talk about how good the food is. They talk more near the end of the meal, attempting to savor both the food and their time together. Ashlyn rolls up her shirt sleeves halfway through the meal and Ali has to restrain herself at the sight of her now visible tattoos. 

 

“What?” Ashlyn questions, fork almost to her mouth, as she catches Ali staring. 

 

“Just admiring,” Ali says. “I know we shouldn’t talk about work tonight but remind me that we should to a feature about your tattoos for the documentary, okay? Maybe we could include some band and crew members with tattoos in it too.”

 

“You got it,” Ashlyn says, smiling. “What about you? I know your ‘liebe’ one but what’s the one on your side? I’ve never been able to make out what it says.”

 

“Oh,” Ali replies, realizing that they had never spoken about her tattoos before. “That one is a quote from  _ The Little Prince,  _ the first book I read in German. I had a hard time adjusting when I moved there so I read that to learn the language a little better and it was a quote that really stuck with me.”

 

“What does it say?”

 

“It translates to ‘one sees good with the heart but what’s most essential is invisible to the eye’,” Ali explains. 

 

“That’s beautiful,” Ashlyn says. 

 

For all their nerves leading up to the date, the date itself feels as natural as breathing to the two women. There are very few lulls in the conversation but even those few quiet times don’t feel awkward so neither one feels the need to fill the silence with mindless chatter. They’re in one of those quiet moments when something catches Ali’s eye at the table just over Ashlyn’s shoulder. 

 

“Oh my god,” Ali exclaims. 

 

“You okay?” Ashlyn asks.

 

Ali nods, not wanting Ashlyn to be alarmed by her sudden outburst. She pauses, making sure she’s seeing things right. “Don’t look now but Tobin and Christen are at the table behind you,” she explains. 

 

“No way,” Ashlyn says, immediately whipping her head around to see their two friends at a table, just as Ali had said. 

 

Tobin’s back is to Ashlyn but Christen gives a little nod of recognition, which Ashlyn reciprocates. “I told you don’t look, not turn around so fast you’ll be lucky to not get whiplash,” Ali says, laughing. 

 

“Sorry,” Ashlyn mumbles sheepishly. “Should we say hi?”

 

Ali shakes her head. “I don’t want to bother them and as much as I love them, I certainly don’t want the extra company on our first date. We can talk to them tomorrow, I’m sure they’ll understand if we ask them not to say anything.”

 

Ashlyn is quiet for a moment as she takes a sip of her champagne. “Hmm, what are the odds?” she muses. 

 

Ali shrugs, knowing that the chances of this happening were incredibly slim. “Great minds think alike, I guess,” she says, gathering another bite onto her fork. 

 

Neither is ready for the date to end so they eagerly order a couple desserts when the waiter clears their dinner plates, presenting them with a dessert menu. They savor every possible moment but, eventually, even their desserts are gone and they’ve finished the last of their champagne so Ashlyn reluctantly asks for the check. 

 

Once their bill is paid, they leave the restaurant, deciding to walk around for a bit before heading back to the hotel. They’ve barely made it out onto the sidewalk before Ashlyn’s phone vibrates in her back pocket which she checks as Ali pauses to reapply her lipstick in a shop window.

 

_ Christen: Don’t worry about us, we won’t say anything. You both looked beautiful tonight ;) _

 

Ashlyn smiles, quickly showing the text to Ali before slipping her phone back into her pocket, the message left unanswered. There are only a few other people out and none of them seem to recognize Ashlyn so Ali, feeling giddy and bold, reaches for Ashlyn’s hand as they walk, lacing their fingers together. Ashlyn simply squeezes her hand in response, which Ali takes as a sign that she’s happy with the move. 

 

“I had an amazing time tonight,” Ali says as they walk hand in hand down the sidewalk. “It’ll be hard to top when it’s my turn to plan something.”

 

They’re stopped at a crosswalk so Ashlyn looks over at Ali and smiles. “I set the bar pretty high, didn’t I?”

 

“You did,” Ali agrees, rubbing her thumb on the back of Ashlyn’s hand. 

 

“That’s where I got your dress,” Ashlyn says, using her free hand to point to the boutique as they pass by. 

 

The shop is closed for the night so they can only peek in the darkened windows but Ali immediately spots several dresses she’d like to try on. “I could do some damage in there,” she says. 

 

Ashlyn laughs. “Why do you think I just bought the dress for you instead of taking you with me? I remember how you were in Germany,” she quips. 

 

“Hush,” Ali says. “You loved shopping with me.”

 

“That I did,” Ashlyn says as they resume walking. They’re quiet for a few moments before Ashlyn speaks again. “What do you think we should tell people?” She asks. 

 

“I guess we tell people we’re dating,” Ali answers. “I like that only a few people know right now so maybe we should keep it that way for a little while until we can figure things out.”

 

“Sounds good to me,” Ashlyn says as she navigates them back to the hotel. “If we’re anything like Tobin and Christen, we won’t have to tell anyone anything because they’ll all find out about it themselves.”

 

Ali laughs, thinking of all the different stories of how people found out about Tobin and Christen’s relationship. “I have a feeling we won’t be able to be subtle either. I mean, we’ve already been caught,” she says with a chuckle.

 

“We haven’t been subtle about our feelings so far, why start now?” Ashlyn jokes. “Hey, what about Kyle? Isn’t he coming to take pictures of the shows this weekend?”

 

“Yep,” Ali confirms, dropping Ashlyn’s hand as they enter the lobby of their hotel. “He flies in tomorrow afternoon.”

 

“You gonna tell him?” Ashlyn asks, pressing the elevator button. 

 

“Of course,” Ali replies. 

 

They ride the elevator in silence, Ali resting her head on Ashlyn’s shoulder as the elevator climbs to the 11th floor. They’re the only ones from the tour on this floor so Ashlyn takes Ali’s hand again as they walk towards their room. 

 

“This is me,” Ali says, pointing to their door. 

 

Ashlyn laughs. “What a coincidence, this is me too,” she says, swiping her key through the lock. Before she can get the door open, however, Ali places a hand on her wrist, preventing her from pushing the door open. 

 

“I had a wonderful time tonight,” she says, unabashedly glancing down at Ashlyn’s lips. Ashlyn, knowing she’s not reading the cues wrong, puts both hands on Ali’s hips and draws her in close. 

 

“So did I,” Ashlyn says. She pulls Ali in for a kiss which ends up being longer and slower than either one intended, much like their courtship thus far. Ali’s high heeled shoes make their height difference negligible as they softly move their lips against each other.

 

“Okay, now we can go in,” Ali says once they’ve broken apart. Neither one can remove the smile from their face as Ashlyn swipes her card again and they finally enter their hotel room. 

 

They get ready for bed quietly, each hanging their dressy clothes in the wardrobe and slipping into pajamas before heading into the bathroom to remove makeup and brush their teeth. Ashlyn finishes first so she slips into bed as Ali finishes up in the bathroom. Ali finally emerges ten minutes later, her face free of makeup and hair tied up in a messy bun. She turns the bathroom light off and crosses the room, surprising Ashlyn by sliding into bed next to her. “What’s up?” Ashlyn asks curiously. 

 

“Just want to sleep next to my beautiful date because then it won’t be over,” Ali explains, beaming. 

 

“Can’t argue with that logic,” Ashlyn says, reaching over Ali to turn off the light. Once Ashlyn is settled, Ali snuggles closer into Ashlyn’s side, looking so cute that Ashlyn has to compose herself. “I’m surprised you like to cuddle,” she notes. “I couldn’t believe how cuddly you were when Liz sexiled you that one night.”

 

Ali pulls back a little, smiling at Ashlyn. “I know, I know. It doesn’t make any sense to me either. I don’t like hugging that much but I love to cuddle for some reason. But only with people I feel really close to,” Ali explains. 

 

“Hey, I’m not complaining,” Ashlyn says. 

 

“You better not,” Ali says. “Goodnight,” she adds, leaning forward and placing a quick kiss on Ashlyn’s lips. 

 

“Night, Al.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So excited to finally get this chapter posted! 
> 
> Favorite parts? What do you most look forward to seeing now that they're (finally) together? Lots of cuteness to come :)


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyle comes into town and Ali and Ashlyn define their relationship as the stop in Paris continues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heed the rating and all that ;)

**Friday, June 3**

**Paris**

 

When Ali and Ashlyn wake the next morning, they’re somehow even more tangled than they were when they fell asleep. Ali wakes just a few minutes before Ashlyn and stays still in her arms, watching the gentle rise and fall of her chest. “Morning, beautiful,” she mumbles when Ashlyn’s eyes flutter open. 

 

“Morning,” Ashlyn replies groggily. 

 

“How’d you sleep?” Ali asks, brushing Ashlyn’s sleep tousled hair out of her face. 

 

“Good,” Ashlyn answers, closing her eyes again at Ali’s gentle touch. 

 

They lay there for as long as possible, neither wanting to move but knowing that they have a busy day ahead of them. Kyle is scheduled to arrive in the afternoon, just before they have to go to the arena for the pre-show soundcheck. Everyone has enjoyed having a few days off but it’s time to get back to work. 

 

“I think we should get room service,” Ali suggests, still wrapped up in Ashlyn’s arms. Ashlyn moans appreciatively so Ali finally (and reluctantly) untangles herself from Ashlyn’s arms, reaching into the nightstand for the room service menu. They select a few classic French breakfast items and, of course, request two cups of coffee for each of them when they place their order. 

 

Their food arrives quickly so Ali goes to answer the door while Ashlyn sits up in bed more, leaning back against the headboard. “Mmmm, that smells so good,” she says as Ali wheels the cart between their two beds. 

 

“It looks really good,” Ali agrees, carefully handing Ashlyn the tray full of food. She leaves the coffees on the cart, not wanting to spill any of it on the hotel sheets. They sample a little bit of everything on the tray, wanting to try as many things as possible during their limited time in France, sneaking kisses in between bites. “I can’t believe there’s a show tonight,” Ali says, holding her coffee mug with two hands. 

 

“Back to real life,” Ashlyn says. “As real as it can be on tour, anyway.”

 

“Do you think people are going to notice anything different about us?” Ali questions.

 

“Maybe, I’m not sure,” Ashlyn says. “If we want to keep it quiet for a while, we’ll have to control ourselves in public. None of this,” she says, leaning over to give Ali a kiss. “Or people will figure it out pretty damn quick.”

 

“Mmm,” Ali hums, resting her forehead against Ashlyn’s after their kiss. “Guess we better get it all out while we’re alone.” 

 

Ashlyn picks up on Ali’s hint and passes her the breakfast tray which Ali places back on the cart. With the tray safely out of the way, she turns back to Ashlyn, drawing her in for another kiss. The kiss gets deeper and deeper until Ali straddles Ashlyn’s lap, her hands resting on the headboard on either side of Ashlyn’s head. They continue in that position for a few minutes until there’s a knock on the door. 

 

“This better be good,” Ashlyn grumbles as Ali climbs off of her and goes to answer the door. 

 

“Oh my god,” Ali squeals, opening the door and seeing Kyle standing in front of her. “I thought your flight didn’t get in until later,” she says, giving him a big hug. 

 

“I was able to get an earlier one and thought I would surprise you,” Kyle answers, lifting Ali off the ground and spinning her around a little. 

 

“Come in, come in,” Ali says, leading her brother into the hotel room. “How’d you know what room I was in?”

 

“I texted Liz once my flight was confirmed,” Kyle explains. “Hey, Ash,” he greets. 

 

“Hey,” Ashlyn replies, getting out of bed and greeting Kyle with a hug. “Nice to see you again.”

 

Ali watches her two favorite people interact with a huge smile on her face until she realizes that only Ashlyn’s bed has been slept in. She motions for Ashlyn to keep talking to Kyle as she quietly goes around to the other side of her bed and ruffles the covers a little, making it seem as if someone had slept there. Thankfully, Kyle doesn’t seem notice so Ali relaxes a little, knowing she’ll be able to tell him about the date on her own time. 

 

“Wow, you two sure had a feast,” Kyle says. He grabs the last half of a croissant off of the tray and takes a bite. “Shit, that’s good.”

 

“I’m so happy you’re here,” Ali says, coming back around and sitting next to Ashlyn on the edge of her bed while Kyle takes a seat on Ali’s. 

 

“Me too, bb,” Kyle replies. 

 

“Hey, are you hungry? We can go somewhere if you want, there are tons of little cafes around here,” Ali says as Kyle takes another bite of croissant. 

 

“Ugh, yes, I’m starving,” Kyle says. “You want to come, Ash?”

 

“You two go ahead, I’m sure you want some time to catch up,” Ashlyn replies. 

 

Ali gathers a pair of leggings and a tshirt and takes them into the bathroom to shower and change. She gets ready pretty quickly, which Ashlyn and Kyle can’t resist making a note of, earning a dramatic eye roll from Ali at their ribbing. 

 

They go to a place a few blocks from the hotel, electing to sit at a small table outside. They catch up on small things they’ve missed: the new trick Kyle taught Luna, Ali’s luggage incident, and how Ali is liking life on the road, giddy just being in one another’s company. “So, I have to tell you something,” Ali says after Kyle requests the check. 

 

“You met someone,” Kyle guesses. 

 

“How did you--?”

 

“I can just tell; it’s a gift,” Kyle explains with a shrug. “So who is it?” He asks. 

 

Ali takes a deep breath. “It’s Ashlyn,” she confesses. 

 

Kyle looks taken aback. “Ashlyn as in megastar Ashlyn Harris, the woman you’re currently spending 24 hours a day with on tour and can’t stop talking about, no  _ way _ ,” Kyle says, feigning shock. 

 

Ali rolls her eyes. She should’ve known that Kyle had everything figured out already, after all, he knows her better than anyone. “Yes, that Ashlyn,” Ali answers. “How’d you know?”

 

“I thought something was up when we facetimed last week because you had massive heart eyes whenever you mentioned her which was every other sentence, by the way. Then when I got to your hotel I saw that only one bed was slept in so I knew I was right. So when did it happen? And, more importantly, when did she start calling you Alex? I thought only mom and dad called you that?”

 

“Oh,” Ali starts, suddenly remembering that Ashlyn had called her that back at the hotel, “we roomed together in Thailand and she heard mom call me that over FaceTime. She picked up on it and has been using it interchangeably ever since,” she explains. Kyle nods but doesn’t respond so she continues, “anyway, we had our first date last night,” she says, smiling. She tells Kyle all about her date with Ashlyn, starting from how she asked her and finally making her way to the moment Kyle knocked on the door, not sparing him any details (he’s heard them all before). By the time she’s finished, Kyle is thoroughly impressed by the lengths Ashlyn went to for their date. 

 

“Ohhh, I like this girl,” Kyle says. “I mean, I liked her before but I really like her now.”

 

Ali smiles. “Me too,” she says. 

 

“Have you made things afish?” 

 

“No, not yet,” Ali begins, “I wanted to have that conversation this morning but obviously plans changed.” 

 

“You need to lock this girl down,” Kyle says. “Sooner than as soon as possible,” he adds. 

 

Ali laughs, knowing her brother is right. There’s something special between her and Ashlyn and as much as she wants to take things slow, they’ve moved excruciatingly slow thus far and Ali wants nothing more than to make Ashlyn her girlfriend. 

 

\---

 

There’s no time to talk about where they stand, however, because Ali and Kyle return to the hotel to find everyone waiting for the busses in the lobby, ready to leave for soundcheck. After ensuring that they won’t leave her behind, Ali goes upstairs to change her clothes and gather her equipment for the night’s show. Kyle, who has a room to himself, follows Ali’s lead and goes upstairs to collect his camera equipment as well. 

 

Sound check is a little rusty after their mini break but everyone finds their rhythm by the time they've finished so the band and crew feel confident that the show will be fine. Ali interviews a few people about the rocky start and they all express that it's to be expected after a few days off but that everything will come together well for the show. Kyle takes still photos throughout rehearsals and while everyone gets ready backstage, which will be used for promotional materials for the documentary. 

 

Despite the rough start to the sound check, the show ends up being one of the best yet. The crowd is amazing and sings along to every song and the band is refreshed and relaxed after a few days to themselves. The band’s energy is incredible throughout the night, which Ali hopes translates well over film. They’re playing the same venue the next night so there’s no load-out and everyone gets to take an early night. Some decide to go out for drinks or tour the city but Ali and Ashlyn opt to go back to the hotel for their much needed chat. 

 

“You did amazing tonight,” Ali says, wrapping her arms around Ashlyn’s neck the second their hotel room door shuts behind them. 

 

“Thanks,” Ashlyn replies, smiling. She places her hands on Ali’s hips and leans in for a quick kiss. 

 

“We should talk,” Ali says once they’ve broken apart. 

 

They take a seat facing each other on Ali’s bed, their knees brushing as they sit with their legs crossed. “I really, really like you,” Ali says.

 

“Thanks, Carly Rae Jepsen,” Ashlyn jokes. 

 

Ali rolls her eyes. “I’m serious,” she says. “I like you a lot and I want to make this work.”

 

“But,” Ashlyn prods, feeling as if there’s a catch somewhere.

 

“But nothing. I like you and I’m willing to try if you are.”

 

“You’ll be okay with dealing with the media and the fans following our every move once they find out?” Ashlyn questions, genuine concern in her voice. She had gotten to this point with a couple of different women who had ultimately decided that the media circus life just wasn’t for them so they’d broken things off with Ashlyn before they even really gotten started. 

 

“Well hopefully they won’t find out for a little while but, yes, I’ll deal with it when the time comes. But for now I think we need to keep this between us and people we’re close to, at least until the tour is over. We’re still working together and I don’t want anyone to question whether or not I’ve compromised my objective eye, especially since I would ultimately like to move on from MTV at some point.”

 

Ashlyn nods in agreement, completely understanding where Ali is coming from. “What about the crew?” Ashlyn asks. 

 

“We can figure that out as we go. I don’t want to lie to any of them so if they ask, I’d want to tell them the truth, wouldn’t you?”

 

“Of course,” Ashlyn says, smiling. Ali had said exactly what Ashlyn had hoped and expected her to say. As much as she loves everyone on the tour, she knows that word travels fast and keeping things on the down low will be best for the early stages of their relationship. 

 

“Now that that’s out of the way,” Ali begins, leaning forward and placing a soft kiss on Ashlyn’s lips, “are you going to be my girlfriend or not?”

 

Ashlyn laughs, resting her forehead against Ali’s. “I thought you would never ask,” she says, pressing her lips back against Ali’s. 

 

The kiss deepens quickly, both women hungry for more. After a few intense moments, Ashlyn breaks the kiss and lays back on the bed, pulling Ali down with her. “Hi,” Ali says, grinning as she hovers above Ashlyn. 

 

“Hi,” Ashlyn responds, still a little breathless. 

 

Ali holds herself up on her hands and reconnects their lips, grinding her hips down onto Ashlyn’s as the kiss gets deeper. Ashlyn runs both her hands up and down Ali’s back as they kiss and Ali knows they’re both getting restless, desperate for more after months of pining. Eager to move things along, she begins to trail kisses down Ashlyn’s jawbone until she reaches her ear, sucking on the sensitive skin there, eliciting a deep moan in response. Encouraged by Ashlyn’s reaction, Ali quickly abandons the spot behind her ear and trails kisses down her neck, only stopping when she reaches the collar of Ashlyn’s shirt. 

 

“Off, please,” Ali says, tugging at the hem of Ashlyn’s shirt. Ashlyn nods affirmative so she sits back on Ashlyn’s thighs so Ashlyn can get her shirt off. Ali takes the opportunity to discard her shirt as well and is about to get back to work  when Ashlyn surprises her by flipping them over and pinning Ali’s arms above her head. 

 

“You didn’t think I’d let you have all the fun, did you?” She asks, grinning. 

 

This time, there are no interruptions as the two women eagerly explore each other’s bodies--nipping, sucking, and licking as they go--not stopping until both are sated and exhausted, ready to give in to sleep. Ashlyn learns that Ali has a third tattoo: the NYU logo on her right hip. Ali explains that she thought it would be a fun surprise for Ashlyn to find out about it on her own (it was). Ashlyn pays special attention to the new discovery before traveling down between Ali’s legs, looking up just before she makes contact. “May I?” she asks.

 

“Please,” Ali breathes. 

 

Ashlyn dives right in the second the word leaves Ali’s lips, not wanting to waste any more time. She works slowly, at first, wanting to make their first time last as long as possible. The only light in the room comes from the bedside lamp and the nearby Eiffel Tower, casting the women in a soft, romantic glow as they explore each other’s bodies. Ali finally comes with a gentle gasp, moaning Ashlyn’s name and Ashlyn knows she wants to spend the rest of her life making Ali say her name like that. 

 

Once she recovers, Ali immediately flips their positions, swiftly tying her hair up into a messy bun before using her hand to begin stroking Ashlyn while she uses her mouth to tease her nipples. 

 

“Alex, please,” Ashlyn says, breathless as Ali continues to tease her with her fingers.

 

Ali nods at Ashlyn’s request, trailing kisses all down her toned torso before finally settling between Ashlyn’s legs. “So sweet,” she mumbles after the first swipe of her tongue. 

 

“Don’t you dare stop,” Ashlyn warns at Ali’s pause. Ali giggles a little at how desperate Ashlyn is but doesn’t argue, knowing that Ashlyn is almost painfully worked up. It doesn’t take many strokes of Ali’s tongue before Ashlyn finally comes, muttering all kinds of obscenities. 

 

Two more orgasms apiece later, they finally fall asleep mere hours before the sunrise--Ali with her head on Ashlyn’s bare chest and Ashlyn’s arm draped loosely around her waist, both more content than they’d been in a long time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the wonderful comments on the last few chapters! I actually just finished writing the epilogue so keep 'em coming and I'll keep getting you chapters every few days or so. 
> 
> Probably goes without saying by now but I always like to hear your favorite parts.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ali and Ashlyn attempt to keep their budding relationship a secret. The band plays in London with a special guest.

**Saturday, June 4 - Tuesday, June 21**

**Paris, London**

 

The last day in Paris is full of activity. Ali’s alarm goes off at seven--less than four hours after she and Ashlyn had fallen asleep--signaling that it was time to get ready for a tour of the city with the rest of the band and crew. Deciding to let Ashlyn get some more sleep, Ali carefully gets out of bed and starts a hot shower, the water instantly making her feel more awake. She’s reaching for her shampoo when Ashlyn climbs in behind her, claiming that showering together will save time. Both of them know that’s not the real reason, however, as she begins to kiss Ali’s neck, the shampoo forgotten on the little shelf as the women continue to lovingly explore one another’s bodies, still trying to memorize every curve and freckle.

 

Ali and Ashlyn struggle to keep their budding relationship quiet as the tour moves through western Europe. Not wanting anyone to find out too quickly, they request that Whit only places them with people in the know so they each take a turn rooming with Kyle (who is with the tour until after the London show), Liz, Whitney, Crystal, and HAO (Ashlyn tells her about their relationship before they even leave Paris, feeling guilty about keeping something from one of her closest and truest friends). The new couple finally rooms together again in London, where they’re playing three shows in as many nights.

 

Less than an hour before the first show in London, Ali is checking her emails on the couch when Becky takes a seat next to her, looking very much like she wants to talk.

 

“Hey,” Ali greets, locking her phone and setting it on the coffee table.

 

“Hi,” Becky says, smiling. “How long have you and Ashlyn been dating?” she asks suddenly.

 

“Just a few weeks. Why?” Ali responds without thinking. “Wait,” she says, eyes going wide as she finally processes Becky’s question. “How did you know?”

 

“Please, everyone’s been waiting for it for months now. You’ve both seemed abnormally happy recently so I figured that one of you finally made a move. Plus, when people are trying to be subtle about their relationship, they usually don’t set a picture of the other person as their lockscreen and stare at it lovingly fifty times a day.”

 

“You noticed, huh?” Ali questions, picking her phone back up off the table, looking at her lockscreen. It’s a picture of Ashlyn from their first date, standing by the railing of the rooftop restaurant, smiling at the camera with the illuminated Eiffel Tower in the background. “That was our first date,” Ali says, showing the picture to Becky.

 

Becky frowns. “Damnit,” she mutters under her breath. Ali looks at her curiously as Becky’s hand flies to cover her mouth, instantly regretting her outburst.

 

“What?” Ali questions.

 

“It’s just that… please don’t be mad,” Becky begins, “we actually all had a bet going on when you would start dating and it seems like I lost,” she explains and Ali busts out laughing.

 

“You’re joking.”

 

“Dead serious.” Becky pulls out her own phone, tapping on the screen until she finds what she needs. “This is our google spreadsheet of everyone’s bets; we all had access to it so we would know if someone tried to cheat by changing theirs.”

 

“Oh my god,” Ali exclaims, mentally adding up the dollar amounts listed next to each name and date. “Becky, you guys bet over $1,500 on this.”

 

Becky laughs, shrugging her shoulders. “I guess we got a little carried away.”

 

“It’s so specific too. Look at Syd’s bet: ‘May 25 after Ashlyn makes good on the Nationals v. Marlins bet’.”

 

“Like I said, we got carried away,” Becky says.

 

Ali peruses the list again, seeing that four people had places bets during their time in Paris. “Looks like Kelley, Pinoe, and Alyssa, were the closest but which one wins? She asked me out the night Kelley guessed, we had our first date the night Pinoe guessed, but we defined our relationship on the night Alyssa guessed.”

 

Becky laughs, closing out of the spreadsheet and opening another document. “According to the official rules, the winner will be determined based on who is closest to the official first date, as long as said first date results in either a second date, or a defined relationship in less than ten days. Otherwise, it goes to the person closest to the subsequent date or official start of the relationship,” Becky explains, reading off of the typed out rules sheet.

 

“Incredible,” Ali says, marvelling at everyone’s intensity over this bet. “Looks like Pinoe is the winner then,” she says.

 

“I won’t say anything until you’re ready,” Becky promises, sensing Ali’s request before she can even vocalize it. Ali thanks her and fills her in on some details of her and Ashlyn’s relationship thus far, thankful to have another person to share these stories with even though she’s not quite ready to share them with everyone. They chat for a few moments before they realize that it’s almost time for the show and they still need to get their equipment ready.

 

\---

 

The first two shows in London are incredible, much like all of their other stops thus far. It’s funny, Ali thinks, how each show can manage to seem new and exciting even though they play the same songs (save for the covers) every night. Part of it is the crowds, she knows, but it’s also because of Ashlyn and the band’s commitment to make each night better than the last, always striving for excellence, even long after it’s been achieved.

 

Ashlyn’s commitment to excellence carries over into everything she sets her mind to, including her relationship with Ali. Ali’s not surprised, necessarily, but is thoroughly impressed by how well this mentality translates into the bedroom. Ashlyn gives her complete, undivided attention to Ali in these moments, worshipping her as if she’s one of the goddesses depicted in Ashlyn’s tattoos. She places soft, feather light kisses all over Ali’s body: her fingertips, her neck, her breasts, her torso, her thighs, and, finally, her core, even as Ali comes down from her high, leaving both desperate for more. Ali’s falling quickly--quicker than she ever has before--but feels surprisingly calm as they continue to forge ahead, undaunted by the new depths of their relationship.

 

Ashlyn has several interviews the morning of their final show in London so Ali tours London with Kyle and some of the band and crew. This really is one of the best (and weirdest) group of people Ali has ever encountered and she feels incredibly fortunate to have them in her life, even if these bonds only last until the tour is over--though, at this point, she’s certain that these friendships will last long after the final encore.

 

Their small group arrives at the O2 Arena just before soundcheck is set to begin, quickly snapping into work mode as they take their places. The soundcheck is quick after two consecutive shows in the same area and Ali feels like she’s barely started filming by the time it’s finished and Ashlyn pulls the band backstage to work on the cover song. Ali often films the band as they select and learn the night’s song but tonight Ashlyn requests that only the band be in the room as they work on the song so Ali sets off to find some of the crew to interview them about the differences between playing a single show in a city and playing multiple shows in the same venue.

 

The cover song process takes longer than usual because they have just a fifteen minutes before the show by the time Ashlyn texts Ali, asking her to come to her dressing room for a few minutes alone before she has to get on stage.

 

“Hey,” Ali greets, kissing Ashlyn once they’re alone.

 

“Hi,” Ashlyn replies, grinning as she holds Ali close. “I missed you today,” she says. She leans down, resting her head in the crook of Ali’s neck as Ali wraps her arms around her waist, rubbing her lower back.

 

“I missed you too,” Ali replies. She’d had a good day touring London with some of the gals but she did find herself wishing Ashlyn was there with them, missing the energy and laughter she brings everywhere she goes. She also gets the impression that, although Ashlyn’s day was full of people, it was a rather lonely day for her without any familiar faces there to back her up.

 

The couple stands there holding each other until Whitney pokes her head in and announces that Ashlyn has two minutes before she needs to be on stage. At Whitney’s words, Ashlyn visibly  perks up, instantly snapping into performance mode. “Thanks, I needed that,” she says as she and Ali make their way to where Ashlyn will enter the stage.

 

“Break a leg,” Ali says, taking her place behind her camera backstage.

 

For as off as Ashlyn had seemed backstage, she’s decidedly on once she gets on stage and launches into her first song. Ali’s impressed by the quick turnaround and watches as her girlfriend, ever the professional, performs with her typical joy and energy.

 

Ashlyn is just about to announce the cover song for the night when the majority of the lights go dark, just two spotlights illuminating the stage. Ali stands back, watching curiously as Kyle takes pictures in rapid succession right next to her.

 

“I’d like to play a cover song for you, if that’s okay,” Ashlyn says, earning a roaring applause. “Now, here’s the thing: we’ve already performed a cover by this artist on this tour so I was wondering how I could make it special for my wonderful fans here in London and I figured maybe you wouldn’t mind so much if I played it with a special guest so, everyone, please help me in welcoming Sir Elton John to the stage.”

 

To say that the crowd goes wild would be the understatement of the century. The cheer is deafening as Elton rises up onto the stage using the little trap door Ashlyn uses for quick changes during the show. Ali can hardly believe her eyes as Elton and Ashlyn hug before he takes a seat at the grand piano, Ashlyn jumping up to sit on top of it.

 

“This is for Alex,” Elton announces as he begins to play the first few instantly recognizable notes of ‘Your Song’.

 

“Did Elton just dedicate a song to you?” Kyle asks excitedly as he continues snapping pictures.

 

“I think so,” Ali says incredulously. She’s near tears as Elton and Ashlyn sing one of the most classic love songs of all time. Ali understandably has a hard time focusing during the rest of the show once Elton exits the stage. As much as she loves watching Ashlyn perform, her thoughts--while still with the blonde--are elsewhere as she thinks about how lucky she is to have Ashlyn in her life.

 

After the last encore song, Ali can barely control herself as Ashlyn comes off stage. As soon as she’s within reach, Ali wraps her arms around Ashlyn’s neck, drawing her in for a deep, passionate kiss.

 

“Did you like it?” Ashlyn questions after they’ve broken apart, resting her forehead on Ali’s. “I wanted to tell you so bad.”

 

“Shut up and kiss me,” Ali says, pulling her back in, not caring that everyone in the band and crew can see them.

 

Ashlyn breaks the kiss and pulls back a little. “Al,” she begins but is cut off by Ali shushing her.

 

“I want you to take me to your dressing room and fuck me,” Ali whispers in her ear.

 

“I don’t think Elton would appreciate that,” Ashlyn whispers back.

 

Ali pulls back, eyes wide. “What?” she questions.

 

“He’s back there waiting to meet you,” Ashlyn explains with a dimpled smile. “I was gonna tell you but _someone_ wouldn’t let me speak.”

 

“Oh my god,” Ali exclaims. “How do I look? Is my hair okay? I can’t believe this,” she says, bouncing up and down excitedly, her tongue poking through her teeth slightly as she smiles.

 

“You look beautiful,” Ashlyn answers, taking Ali’s hand. She leads her farther backstage to her private dressing room and they enter to find Elton sitting on Ashlyn’s couch. He stands to greet them, hugging Ashlyn and shaking Ali’s hand, which she takes enthusiastically.

 

“You must be Alex,” he says. “I heard so much about you.”

 

“Y-you did?” Ali mutters, suddenly overcome with nerves.

 

“Of course,” he replies. “Ash told me all about you the other day when she rang and asked if I could pop in tonight, she speaks very highly of you.”

 

Ali looks at Ashlyn, her nose crinkling as she smiles. “I think the world of her too,” she says. They stay and talk for a few minutes--Ashlyn explaining that she met the legendary musician when they recorded a duet for charity a few years ago--and take a few pictures together before Ali, ever mindful of her duty on tour, asks if she can ask Elton a few questions for the documentary. He graciously agrees so Ali texts Liz to bring in her equipment so she can ask him a few questions before the rest of the band and crew get to come meet him. They try not to take up too much of his time, knowing he’s a busy man, so almost everyone just stops in to say hi and snap a quick picture with him. Finally, as they’re about to leave, they have one of the venue staffers come in and use Kyle’s camera to take a picture of the entire band and crew with the legend, knowing that this is one of the moments they’ll want to remember forever.

 

\---

 

Back at the hotel, Ali still can’t believe the events of the night and expresses her gratitude to Ashlyn in the form of a string of orgasms, not letting up until Ashlyn is too sensitive to take anymore and eager to treat Ali as well. As soon as they enter the room, she roughly pushes Ashlyn up against the wall, not wanting to waste the two seconds it would take to make their way to the bed. Having not yet experienced this completely dominant side of Ali, Ashlyn cooperates as Ali quickly removes all their clothes before pushing Ashlyn back against the wall, only teasing her for a minute before lifting one of Ashlyn’s leg over her shoulder as she goes down on her.

 

“Fuck… Alex,” Ashlyn breathes as Ali fervently laps at her clit. Ali alternates between and short licks, gentle and firm, as Ashlyn’s hands desperately search for something to grab onto, finally ending up on the back of Ali’s head, holding her in place. Ali’s touch sends Ashlyn’s body into overdrive and she’s unable to control the gentle thrusting of her hips until Ali puts her hands on them, keeping Ashlyn pinned to the wall. By the time Ashlyn comes, her legs are shaking so bad that they can no longer support her own weight and she begins to slide down the wall before Ali giggles and helps support her. “You might have to help carry me to the bed,” Ashlyn whispers, leaning her head back against the wall as she still tries to recover.

 

“Okay,” Ali replies, finally standing. She reaches her arms out, helping Ashlyn wrap her legs around the waist and carrying the taller woman a few feet to the bed, falling on top of her as she tries to gently lay her down. They make out at the top of the bed for a few minutes before Ali slips a hand in between Ashlyn’s legs, working to bring her to a second orgasm. Ashlyn comes quickly, still sensitive from the last round. Ali continues stroking her as she comes down from her peak until Ashlyn shakes her head, muttering that she’s too sensitive for Ali to continue. Instead, she flips their positions, hovering over Ali as she kisses her deeply.

 

She doesn’t waste much time--her desire to taste her girlfriend is too great--so she trails loving, feather light kisses down Ali’s torso and upper thighs before finally settling between Ali’s legs, savoring her taste. She doesn’t want to admit it, not quite yet, but she’d imagined and dreamed about making love to Ali many times over the last few months but nothing, _nothing_ compares to the real thing, to hearing Ali scream her name as she comes, to feeling Ali writhe underneath her, to tasting the woman she had pined after for so long. Ali finally comes against Ashlyn’s tongue, motioning for Ashlyn to join her on the pillows.

 

“You good?” Ashlyn asks gently as Ali struggles to catch her breath.

 

Ali nods, grinning. “That was amazing,” she raves.

 

“Hey, I had a lot to live up to after you literally made me weak in the knees,” Ashlyn comments, shrugging. “If that’s how you’re going to react, I should surprise you with musical legends more often,” she muses.

 

Ali laughs, tracing light circles over Ashlyn’s forearm, wondering how she ever got so lucky.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Favorite part(s)? What'd you think of Ashlyn's surprise? If someone picked a musical legend to dedicate a song to you like that, who would you pick? 
> 
> One more European chapter before the U.S. tour starts and we start building towards the end :/


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ali plans a special date for Ashlyn as the European tour comes to an end in Ireland

**Wednesday, June 22 - Tuesday, June 28**

**London, Belfast**

Ashlyn calls for a crew meeting the morning after the final London show, just after Kyle heads for the airport and just before everyone else has to leave to catch their short flight to Glasgow. She and Ali agreed that there was no point in trying to hide their relationship from the crew--not that they could after what became known as “the Elton John incident”--so Ashlyn quickly explains that they’re dating, everyone muttering things like ‘finally’ and ‘it took you long enough’ under their breath. Pinoe is thrilled to learn that she won the bet and immediately begins moving around the room, asking people to pay up.

 

“Don’t worry,” she tells Ali and Ashlyn later as they’re playing cards at the airport. “I’m going to donate my winnings to a shelter for LGBT youth back in LA. It seems like the right thing to do.”

 

\---

 

After the show in Glasgow, the tour heads to Northern Ireland and Ireland for the last few stops of the European tour. They have a full day off in Belfast before the first show so as Ali sets out on planning a special date for Ashlyn as soon as they’re checked into the hotel for the first night. Ashlyn naps, snuggled into Ali’s side, as Ali scours the internet, searching for the perfect place. She finally settles on a beautiful location about an hour from their hotel and quietly slips into the bathroom to place a few phone calls. When Ashlyn wakes up from her nap an hour later, Ali tells her not to plan anything for the next day.

 

“Ohhh,” Ashlyn exclaims excitedly. “What are we going to do?” she asks.

 

Ali smirks. “It’s a secret.”

 

“Not even a hint?” Ashlyn begs, sticking her bottom lip out and crossing her arms.

 

“Nope,” Ali answers, kissing her pouting girlfriend in an attempt to placate her.

 

“You’re the meanest girlfriend ever,” Ashlyn grumbles.

 

“I know, sweetie. I promise it’ll be worth it, okay?”

 

Ashlyn playfully pouts for a bit until Syd knocks on their door, asking if they want to join all the other tour couples for a dinner out.

 

\---

 

Much to Ashlyn’s dismay, Ali’s alarm goes off at seven the next morning but she still  (reluctantly) gets out of bed and begins getting ready, knowing that Ali is excited about whatever they’ll be doing. She doesn’t know what contingencies to dress for so she stands, suitcases open, and stares at her piles of clothes Ali gets ready in the bathroom. She finally selects a dark jeans, black t-shirt, (big surprise there) and a flannel she can throw over in case she gets too cold.

 

“Wear comfortable shoes,” Ali calls from the bathroom as she swipes mascara over her eyelashes.

 

“This would be so much easier if you would just tell me where we’re going,” Ashlyn grumbles, surveying her footwear options.

 

“But it’s so much more fun this way,” Ali counters, exiting the bathroom. She’s wearing a light grey t-shirt with her denim jacket with sweatshirt sleeves on top. Her makeup is minimal and her loose ponytail is tied up with a black velvet band, which Ashlyn finds adorable. Ashlyn feels better knowing that Ali is similarly dressed in casual wear, so she can safely eliminate the worry of being underdressed for whatever Ali has planned.

 

Ashlyn perks up considerably once she’s a little more awake, becoming nearly as excited as Ali  by the time they leave their room. Since she doesn’t know where they’re going, she lets Ali lead the way to the tour rented vans. “Hop in,” Ali says, gesturing to the passenger side.

 

Ashlyn does as she’s told, getting situated in the passenger side as Ali settles into the driver’s seat. They drive through the countryside for over an hour, talking and singing along to the radio as they go. Finally, Ali announces that they’ve reached their destination and parks the car.

 

“Giant’s Causeway,” Ashlyn says, reading the sign.

 

“Yep,” Ali replies. “Have you ever been?”

 

Ashlyn smiles. “No, we’ve never had the time. I’ve heard great things though.”

 

They’re just on time for the nine o’clock tour so they jump in with that group as they head closer and closer to the sea. The tour guide explains that the site got its name from a folktale involving two warring giants: one from right here in Northern Ireland and one from Scotland, noting that there is a similar rock formation off the coast of Scotland.

 

Ali and Ashlyn are both in awe of the rock columns as they explore the site, stopping to take pictures of each other every few steps. Ashlyn is recognized a few times and agrees to take pictures with her fans while Ali wanders nearby, snapping pictures of the scenery as she goes.

 

Once Ashlyn’s done taking pictures with fans, she looks around the area, searching for Ali. She finally spots her standing on an elevated area, looking out at the ocean. “I wish I could hold your hand right now,” Ashlyn whispers, coming up next to Ali.

 

“Mmm,” Ali hums appreciatively. “Oh, that reminds me, what time is it?” she asks.

 

“Just after eleven,” Ashlyn says, looking at her watch.

 

“We should head back to the car in like fifteen minutes; there’s somewhere else we need to be,” Ali replies, smirking.

 

“You’re killing me, Alex.”

 

They continue walking around the rock formations until Ali decides that they need to go and they make the trek back up to the van. They stop in the little gift shop for a moment, picking out postcards for their family back home, and a magnet for Ali who has started collecting them from every place they visit on tour.

 

“Where to now?” Ashlyn asks, settling back into the passenger seat.

 

“You’ll see in a few minutes,” Ali replies as she checks her rearview mirrors. It’s a little unnatural, driving on the other side of the car, but she adjusts quickly and drives them to their next destination. When she parks, she goes around to the trunk, pulling out a huge backpack and slinging it over her shoulders. “Ready?” she asks and Ashlyn nods.

 

They make their way to a little ticket booth, Ashlyn finally seeing a sign that reads Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge in big, bold letters. She listens curiously as the person in the ticket booth tells the group in front of them that the bridge is closed for repairs for the next few hours but should reopen this afternoon. The family reluctantly turns around, already debating on whether or not they should wait for it to reopen. “Al, I think it’s closed,” Ashlyn whispers as Ali steps up to the ticket counter but Ali just shakes her head.

 

“Hi,” Ali greets brightly, stepping up to the counter. “I’m Ali Krieger, I called yesterday.”

 

“Right, Miss Krieger,” says the ticket person. “You can go right ahead,” he says, gesturing to the path that runs next to the booth.

 

“Thank you so much,” Ali says, smiling.

 

Ashlyn watches incredulously as Ali begins to walk down the path. “Hey, Alex, I’m sure this place is great but there’s no way in hell I’m getting on a broken rope bridge,” Ashlyn says, jogging to catch up to her girlfriend.

 

Ali pauses, looking at Ashlyn. “The bridge is fine, that’s what they tell people so they don’t complain when they close it for a private group,” she explains. She sees that Ashlyn is still confused so she continues, “I pulled a few strings so we could get the place to ourselves for a few hours”. She resumes walking and this time, Ashlyn follows without hesitation.

 

“You sneaky little thing,” Ashlyn says as they continue to walk. It’s a bit of a trek from the ticket booth to the rope bridge but once they see it, both women make comments about how it was worth every single step.

 

Ali ‘crosses’ the bridge first, pausing in the middle for Ashlyn to take pictures of her walking across. She then turns around and walks back towards the mainland and Ashlyn takes her turn, Ali snapping pictures as she carefully makes her way to the tiny island. Ali soon follows, taking in the surrounding sights.

 

The island is well above sea level, providing Ali and Ashlyn with an amazing view of the ocean and the cliffs of the nearby coast. Best of all, they’re the only ones out there so they can hold hands as they walk around the perimeter, wanting to see things from every possible angle. After about ten minutes of taking in the sights, Ali retreats from the edge a little and sets her backpack down on the impossibly green grass. She walks around for a few seconds, finally finding a little flat spot, pulling a picnic blanket and tiny cooler out of her backpack and getting everything situated on the grass.

 

“You’re amazing,” Ashlyn compliments as they take a seat on the blanket. “When did you even have time to put this together?”

 

“I had HAO put the bag together yesterday while we were out at dinner,” Ali explains, grabbing two sandwiches and waters out of the cooler.

 

“That HAO, always coming in clutch,” Ashlyn says. She digs into her sandwich as soon as she frees it from the container and plastic wrap, not even bothering to ask what’s on it. They eat in silence for a few minutes, glancing around at the scenery from their picnic spot. “I can’t believe you did all this,” Ashlyn marvels.

 

“Do you like it? I was worried I couldn’t compete with dinner in Paris,” Ali says.

 

Ashlyn scooches closer to Ali, wrapping one arm around her shoulder. Ali leans into the hug and Ashlyn lets out a contented sigh. “It’s not a competition, you know, but I’d say a private picnic in one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen beats anything I could’ve planned.” Ashlyn draws Ali closer, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

 

Ashlyn turns her attention to the waves crashing into the cliffs down below but feels Ali’s gaze on her. She lets it go for a few minutes but eventually feels the need to say something. “Yes?” she prods.

 

“Just admiring,” Ali says.

 

Ashlyn chuckles, laying back on the blanket and putting her hands behind her head. “Admire away, then. But, you know, you can look at me whenever you want; you didn’t have to take me here to do that,” she says, using one hand to gesture to their surroundings.

 

“I know, I just can’t help myself,” Ali says. She continues watching Ashlyn for a few minutes, taking in Ashlyn's breathtaking physical beauty that matches the beauty of her soul. Ali's always been attracted to Ashlyn, even before they met, but now she gets to know about the things Ashlyn doesn't share with the world. She gets to be the person Ashlyn goes to when she's upset, needing to talk and best of all, she gets to be the person Ashlyn goes to when something good happens, looking to Ali to help her celebrate. There's so much she wants to say, so many beautiful ways to confess what she's feeling but ultimately, she knows that three words will do the trick. “I love you,” she confesses. “And I know it’s only been three weeks so I don’t want you to feel pressured to say it back but I just really wanted--needed--you to know,” she rambles quickly.

 

“Hey,” Ashlyn says softly, sitting up and cupping Ali’s cheeks with her hands. “I love you too,” she says, beaming at Ali.

 

Ali leans in, kissing Ashlyn firmly. “Really?” she questions once they’ve broken apart.

 

Ashlyn laugh. “Of course I love you. I think I loved you before we even left LA.”

 

“Good. Me too,” Ali replies, kissing her again. They kiss for several minutes, enjoying the rare freedom they’ve been presented with. Since they don’t want media or fan attention on their relationship just yet, they have to be very cautious whenever they’re in public. They never know when Ashlyn will be recognized so they are very careful to avoid physical affection in public. Even with all their precautions, they know that it’s just a matter of time before fans and the media begin to take note of the real nature of their relationship so they’re enjoying their privacy for as long as they have it. Neither is willing to take the kiss any further outside in the open, despite being absolutely sure they’re alone, so they break apart just before things go too far. Desire still at the forefront of their minds, they distract themselves by taking pictures of each other sitting on the picnic blanket, the gorgeous scenery visible in the background. Ashlyn gets a really cute one of Ali, which she asks permission to post on instagram.

 

_Ashlynharris24: Planning some really cool documentary features with @akrieger11. Be sure to catch the series premiere on Thursday, July 7th only on @mtv #perceptionsworldtour_

 

“But we didn’t talk about the documentary,” Ali points out as Ashlyn types.

 

“I know, but this way it’s a promotion for the series and I get to post a picture of my beautiful girlfriend. Win-win,” Ashlyn explains, posting the image. “Want to walk around again?” Ashlyn asks, setting her phone down on the blanket. Ali agrees so they fold the blanket up and put their belongings back in the backpack, taking turns carrying it as they take in the sights.

 

They spend another half hour walking around the little island before they decide to head back to the car. It’s a bit of a trek so they take their time, even stopping to sit on a bench for a few minutes. As they sit, they debate what picture each one should post on instagram, scrolling through their options. Ali finally settles on one of her standing on the rock formations at Giant’s Causeway, writing that she can’t wait to come back for vacation someday.

 

“You should get that framed,” Ali says when she sees the picture Ashlyn selected from just after their picnic. In the photo, Ashlyn is facing the water, arms out like a bird in flight, her wavy hair whipping in the wind. The mainland is visible in the distance, as is the sea down below and the blue sky above. The caption is simply “the world is my home”, perfectly reflecting the beauty and simplicity of the picture.

 

\---

 

Once safely in the privacy of their hotel room, the couple continues what they started near the end of their picnic, whispering their new favorite words over and over as they bring each other to ecstasy. Neither is shy in bed, always feeling comfortable and confident enough to tell the other exactly what they want. They take their time with each other more often than not, drawing it out until the other is practically begging for release but this time, this time feels different. Softer. More poignant. Full of admiration, love, and a level of chemistry that can’t quite be explained.

 

They haven’t yet discussed where they want their relationship to go once tour is over, partially because they’re still figuring things out as they go, and partially because they don’t want to admit that tour will eventually come to a close and they’ll be living on opposite coasts, busy with their own schedules. It’ll be an adjustment, that much is obvious, but both women are willing to put forth the effort so it doesn’t seem like something that needs to be discussed just yet when they still have four months left on tour. Instead, they focus on the immediate: where they should get dinner, making plans to introduce each other to their families when the North American tour kicks off, and how much damage they plan on doing when they go shopping in Dublin.

 

Belfast is one of the smallest shows of the entire tour so it feels much more intimate than nearly everywhere else they’ve played. Ali surveys nearly the entire band and crew about whether they prefer small, intimate shows or large, raucous shows, even stopping by the lighting booth to ask Alyssa about how the smaller venue affects the light show. Some, like Syd, Pinoe, and Crystal prefer the large shows, saying that they feed off of large crowds while others say they prefer smaller shows because they feel more connected to the audience. Ashlyn expresses how important it is to have both types of show, saying that the different atmospheres are nice and that it makes each stop feel unique.

 

Dublin is also relatively small compared to some of the other shows they’ve played but even it feels huge just two nights after playing in Belfast. True to their word, Ali and Ashlyn do a lot of damage when they go shopping with some of the gals in the city, even buying another suitcase to split so they can get their new purchases home with them.

 

As excited as everyone is to begin the North American tour and see their families at certain stops, they’re all sad to leave Europe. They’ll be traveling on busses once they get stateside, which they all warn the newbies about. It’s an adjustment, they warn, but as long as you get along with everyone on your bus it can actually be a lot of fun.

 

Ali finds herself surprisingly excited for tour bus life. She gets along with everyone on tour and part of her feels like living on a tour bus will transport her back to massive sleepovers from her middle school and high school days. Sure, she'll be sharing cramped spaces with at least ten other people, but she knows it's only temporary and plans on making the best of their time on the busses.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Spirit v. Pride game day!
> 
> There are references to two of my favorite Irish songs in this chapter so here's the deal: if someone can figure out one of the songs, I'll post the next chapter tomorrow. If not, I'll post it early next week. (Hint: one reference is by title and the other is a lyric). To sweeten the deal a little, I'll also post a preview of the next thing I'm working on ;)
> 
> As always, I'd love to know what you're enjoying and what you hope to see in future chapters. I can't promise everything because I've actually finished writing this but there have been a few comments about things that I've added into my drafts so you never know :)


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The North American tour kicks off and the documentary premieres

**Wednesday, June 29 - Friday, July 8**

**New York**

 

The tour takes a week and a half break after they return from Ireland, which allows everyone to go home to recuperate before they have to move onto their busses for the next three months. They’re starting on the east coast so Ashlyn decides to stay with Ali in New York instead of returning to LA with the majority of the band and crew. It’ll be too difficult to adjust to the eight hour time difference between London and LA just to immediately turn around and have to get used to yet another time difference so it’s a practical decision as much as it is a romantic one. As soon as they walk in the door, Ali kicks off her shoes and heads right to the bedroom, flopping down onto her bed. Ashlyn laughs good naturedly as Ali climbs under the covers, hugging her pillow. 

 

“Do you two need a minute alone?” Ashlyn asks, chuckling. 

 

“Maybe just a few,” Ali replies, voice muffled by her face nuzzled into her pillow. 

 

Ashlyn knows she’s joking, but decides to leave the room just the same. After a few minutes, she pops her head back in to find Ali sound asleep, taking up the entire queen sized bed. Instead of just sitting around, Ashlyn decides to check the fridge and cupboards, making a list in her phone of what foods they’ll need over the next week. On her way out to the grocery store, she grabs the suitcase full of their dirty clothes and heads to the laundromat she spotted next door. She returns to Ali’s apartment an hour and a half later--clean laundry packed back into the suitcase and bags of groceries in hand--to find Ali still sleeping peacefully. Ashlyn quietly puts the groceries away as best as she can without knowing where everything goes before finally slipping into bed with Ali. She doesn’t have a lot of room--Ali’s still taking up the majority of the bed--but she doesn’t care when her girlfriend is this content. 

 

Ali finally rises about a half hour later, laughing as she sees how squished Ashlyn is. “You could’ve told me to move over,” she says. 

 

“I didn’t want to wake you.”

 

“I should get up; I have a lot of stuff I need to do,” Ali says, rolling out of bed. Ashlyn wordlessly follows her into the kitchen, watching as Ali discovers that her cupboards have recently been stocked. “Did you do this?” 

 

Ashlyn smiles, leaning back against Ali’s countertop. “Yep. Washed all our dirty clothes too,” she replies, pointing to the suitcase near the door. 

 

“You’re the best,” Ali says, pressing her body into Ashlyn’s as she kisses her. 

 

Ashlyn is about to suggest heading back to the bedroom when they’re interrupted by Ali’s stomach growling. They pull apart at the sound, laughing at the untimely interruption. “Guess I should make you dinner then,” Ashlyn says. 

 

“Guess so,” Ali agrees. “I’m going to clean a little while you cook,” she adds. No one has inhabited Ali’s apartment since she left in February so a thin layer of dust has formed on some of the surfaces. 

 

Although they’ve been rooming together ever since announcing their relationship to the band and crew, being together in one of their actual homes feels different and new. Everything feels a little more domestic and real as Ashlyn works in the kitchen and Ali cleans in the living room, a news station playing on Ali’s tv in the background. One of the first thing Ashlyn noticed about Ali’s apartment is that the walls are covered in pictures of Ali and her family and friends, giving Ashlyn a new appreciation of the importance of family in Ali’s life. 

 

“When do I get to make the wall?” Ashlyn asks, serving Ali a plate of homemade chicken fettuccini alfredo and garlic bread.

 

“What do you mean?” Ali asks as she sits down, taking a deep breath at the pleasant aroma of their meal. 

 

“The wall of pictures,” Ashlyn says. Ali still looks confused so she points to the pictures on the wall in Ali’s living room. 

 

“I think we can work something out,” Ali answers with a wink. The meal is delicious and Ali is thoroughly impressed with Ashlyn’s culinary skills. The sauce was made from scratch as well as the seasoning mixture on their cheesy garlic bread, which required Ashlyn to spend the majority of the afternoon in the kitchen. “Where’d you learn to cook like this?”

 

Ashlyn smiles, dimple appearing in her left cheek. “My grandma,” she answers, still smiling. 

 

“I can’t wait to meet her,” Ali replies earnestly. She’s heard a lot about Ashlyn’s family and her grandma is the one she most looks forward to meeting. Ashlyn’s grandma has had a massive impact on her life and Ali knows she needs to impress the Harris matriarch in order to get in the rest of the family’s good graces. When they’d first started planning to meet each other’s families, Ali was greatly concerned about meeting Ashlyn’s grandma, knowing that it was a serious make or break point in their relationship. Ashlyn assured her that grandma Harris would adore Ali as much as she does and that she knew Ali could charm anyone in the entire world with just her smile. Ali relaxed at Ashlyn’s confidence in her, beginning to look forward to taking the next step more than she worries about it. 

 

\---

 

Their few days off are exactly what they need. They hardly leave Ali’s apartment, taking all the time they need to decompress. Their peace and quiet is short lived, however, as everyone reconvenes in New York for the series premiere party and red carpet a week after getting back from Ireland. The series premiere red carpet is fairly casual so Ashlyn wears a pair of black jeans with a white button down and gold chain while Ali opts for a teal, black, and grey color blocked dress. Normally, Ashlyn gets rather bored when walking red carpets. She answers the same questions over and over and is bossed around by photographers looking for the right shot and is usually alone with no one to make fun of the ridiculousness of it all with. This time, however, she walks the red carpet in delight as she watches the press request interviews from everyone in her band and crew. Even Ali has a considerable amount of attention on her as the reason the show exists. 

 

After the red carpet, everyone heads inside for a viewing of the first episode as it airs live. There are MTV executives and journalists in attendance, so Ali and Ashlyn are careful to avoid giving themselves away, choosing to sit with Syd between them as they watch the episode. 

 

The premiere covers the first week of rehearsals, and everyone commiserates about how slowly everything came together that first week and laugh at some of the silly mistakes they made early on in the process. Unsurprisingly, the episode goes over well with Ashlyn’s fans as the official hashtag continues trending worldwide well after the episode finishes airing. 

 

As soon as the credits roll, one of the MTV executives makes his way to where Ali and Ashlyn are mingling with reporters, giving their thoughts on the episode and the reception they’ve received thus far. 

 

“Well done, Krieger,” he says, shaking Ali’s hand. 

 

Ali stands tall, meeting the man’s eyes as they shake hands. “Thank you, Richard.”

 

“I believe this will be our highest rated show of the season; it’s just what we needed for our summer lineups.”

 

Ali smiles. “Well I have a great subject,” she replies, smiling at Ashlyn. 

 

“That you do.” Richard says. He too turns his attention to the musician, reaching to shake her hand as well. “Richard Thompson. It’s nice to finally make your acquaintance, Ashlyn.”

 

“Nice to meet you too. You have a great team of people, I’ve been so impressed with all of them it’s such a delight having them on tour with us.”

 

They make small talk for a few more minutes until the tour crew decides they want to go out for drinks to celebrate the premiere. 

 

“Who was that?” Ashlyn asks as she and Ali follow everyone to a bar down the street. 

 

“My boss.”

 

Ashlyn eyes go wide as she suddenly realize that it must be the one that threatened to fire Ali when she refused to film the fallout during the photo leak. “The one that tried to fire you?”

 

Ali nods. 

 

“Man, you stood up to that guy for me? He seems like the type of guy who’d fire someone just for the hell of it,” Ashlyn marvels. 

 

Ali laughs, impressed by Ashlyn’s ability to read people (it’s one of the things that makes her such an excellent songwriter). “He once fired an assistant for getting his coffee order wrong.”

 

“And you basically told him to shove his ratings up his ass when all that shit happened?”

 

“Yep,” Ali replies, glancing over at Ashlyn as they walk. They’re walking  in the middle of the pack, so Ashlyn won’t be stopped by fans, as they make their way to the bar. “I’d do it a million times over,” she adds, smiling. 

 

“You’re the best,” Ashlyn replies. 

 

“I know,” Ali says confidently, blowing on her nails and rubbing them on her shoulder at the compliment. 

 

“Ugh, I take it back.” 

 

Almost everyone drinks a little too much at the bar, both in celebration of the premiere and as a form of pre-gaming for the upcoming U.S. leg of the show. 

 

No one is surprised when Pinoe and Kelley get the most drunk and turn into a two-woman comedy act until Kelley makes an fairly early inconspicuous exit with a leggy redhead, leaving Pinoe without her favorite drinking buddy. She doesn’t seem too affected, however, as she and Crystal down tequila shots by the bar.

 

Ali drinks a few glasses of wine throughout the night while Ashlyn goes with whiskey, nursing a few glasses throughout the night. Neither want to get too drunk the night before they have to load onto a tour bus with so many other people, so they’re conscious of their alcohol consumption. 

 

HAO’s husband, Dave, is in town to see her off the next morning so they decide to retire early, both a little tipsy but not quite drunk. “Have I told you how happy I am for you and Ash?” HAO asks, clumsily slinging her arm around Ali’s shoulder. She’s making her goodbye rounds (unlike Kelley who had made a world class Irish exit) and Ali is the last one she needs to see before she leaves. 

 

“You have,” Ali says gently, like she’s talking to an excited five year old telling the same story again. “But I appreciate it just the same.”

 

“I better be in your wedding,” HAO warns. “Oh,” she exclaims, as if she’s suddenly remembered something. “Did you ever hear about the dream she had before you started dating?”

 

Ali shakes her head. 

 

“She dreamed that you were marrying someone else and she was one of your bridesmaids and had to stand there and watch because she was stupid and never told you how she felt. She was practically sobbing in her sleep so I had to wake her up and let her talk through it. She called it a nightmare but I’m not sure if it counts if there’s no threat of death but I let it slide because she was so worked up about it.” She’s giving more details than necessary at this point, a sign of her tipsiness. 

 

“She’s a good one,”  Ali replies simply, a little too moved by the story to say anything else. 

 

“She is,” HAO agrees. “You are too.”

 

Ali and Ashlyn decide to leave just a few minutes after HAO, knowing that they have an extremely limited amount of time to be alone before they load onto the busses tomorrow morning to head to Boston. Ali takes an Uber home ten minutes before Ashlyn makes her way back to the apartment. It’s a little over the top, heading back at different times, but they know that the media would be all over it if they we spotted entering an apartment building together and they still want to be careful about who knows.

Ali is eagerly waiting for Ashlyn by the door as soon as she enters the apartment, roughly pushing the her against the wall with one hand and locking the door with the other. She hasn’t been able to stop thinking about HAO’s story and plans on showing her girlfriend just how happy she is that things turned out nothing like Ashlyn’s nightmare (Ali agrees that it was a nightmare, despite the missing threat of death, as Heather had put it). 

 

“Alex,” Ashlyn whines as Ali roughly opens the top of Ashlyn’s button-down. She loses a few of the buttons in the process, the sound of them hitting her hardwood floors the only noise in the otherwise silent apartment. 

 

“I am… so glad… that we don’t have to wonder… ‘what if’,” Ali says, peppering Ashlyn’s sports bra clad torso with open mouthed kisses every few words. 

 

“Me too,” Ashlyn says, the last word turning into a moan as Ali roughly yanks her jeans and underwear down to the floor in one quick motion. “What’s gotten into you?” she asks as Ali stands back up and looks at her hungrily. 

 

“Hopefully you,” Ali purrs as she leans in to kiss Ashlyn, putting her tongue in her mouth at the same time she enters her with two fingers, eliciting a deep moan from Ashlyn at the dual action.

 

Ashlyn pulls away from Ali slightly to remove her sports bra as Ali continues to run her fingers through her folds, not breaking concentration towards her end goal even as Ashlyn struggles to free herself of her bra. Finally, the offending article is tossed across the room, and Ali quickly captures one of Ashlyn’s nipples in her mouth as she continues to work with her hands. Ashlyn watches Ali work in a pleasure filled haze, certain that there will be hickies all over her chest the next day but not caring enough to make Ali stop sucking on the sensitive skin of her breasts. 

 

Ashlyn doesn’t last long--she never does when Ali is this aggressive--and soon enough, she’s carrying Ali fireman style down to the bedroom to repay the favor. Unlike Ali, Ashlyn decides to take her time, wanting to make it last. She straddles Ali’s hips, effectively holding her down, as she works on Ali’s neck and torso, leaving easy to hide hickeys as she goes. 

 

“I love you,” Ashlyn whispers from between Ali’s thighs, still peppering kisses everywhere but where Ali really wants her. 

 

“If you loved me, you’d make me come instead of torturing me,” Ali counters. 

 

Ali’s getting desperate--writhing at every touch, trying to get the friction she craves--so Ashlyn decides to put her out of her misery, finally moving her mouth towards Ali’s core. Ali lets go quickly (and then again) after having been teased for so long until she’s too sensitive to take any more, nudging Ashlyn to join her at the top of the bed. 

 

“Hi,” Ali says softly once they’re face to face on their sides; her sweet, innocent smile a sharp contrast to their actions of the last hour. 

 

“Hi,” Ashlyn replies, gently brushing Ali’s sweaty hair away from her face. “That’ll never get old.”

 

“No, never,” Ali confirms. She nuzzles her head into Ashlyn’s neck, not wanting any space between them in her post sex daze (not that she ever wants any space between them). 

 

Both women fall asleep almost instantly, feeling safe and warm in each other’s arms. 

 

\---

 

They have an early wakeup call the next morning to load onto the tour busses for the short trek to Boston. They’ll tour the east coast of the U.S. and Canada first before heading farther west as the tour continues, finally wrapping up the North American tour in Hawaii. 

 

Whitney does an excellent job making bus assignments--as she ever so humbly announces once everyone has arrived--and Ali can’t imagine a better bus crew. She and Ashlyn are on a bus with Whitney, HAO, Liz, Pinoe, Crystal, Becky, Tobin, Christen, and Kelley. There are only eleven people on their bus, leaving an empty bunk open for storage, which they desperately need. 

 

As per tradition, Ashlyn and Whitney are the first ones who get to select their bunks. Ashlyn because she’s the boss (though that’s not how she likes to think of herself) and Whitney because she works so hard on roommate and bus assignments throughout the year. Ashlyn selects a bottom bunk closest to the kitchen, smirking when Ali climbs on the bus and picks the one directly across the aisle from her. 

 

“What?” Ali questions, tossing her pillow and blanket into the tight space. 

 

“Don’t want to be on top of me?” Ashlyn quips, looking proud of herself at the joke. 

 

Ali rolls her eyes but decides to humor her nonetheless. “I always want to be on top of you,” she husks, winking. 

 

“Gross,” Whitney exclaims from her bunk directly above Ali. 

 

“Yeah, you two are gonna need to get a room if you continue that shit, not all of us are lucky to have our partners here,” Pinoe bemoans as she settles into her bunk on top of Whitney’s. 

 

“Speaking of rooms, isn’t there usually a bedroom at the back of these busses? Why aren’t we sleeping back there?” Ali questions. 

 

Ashlyn smiles. “Some busses have that but it’s better for everyone to get the model with a lounge back there instead. I sleep in a bunk like everyone else.”

 

“So selfless,” Ali quips. Her tone is sarcastic but she really does admire how Ashlyn rejects anything that might place her at a higher status than the rest of the band and crew. It would certainly be more comfortable and relaxing for Ashlyn to have her own private room on the bus, but she opts to sleep in a bunk because a shared space in the back makes everyone’s lives a little better, not just hers. 

 

The bus gets rolling as soon as Kelley, the last passenger, finally climbs on, wearing sunglasses even though it’s overcast outside. 

 

“Have a good night, Kel?” Ashlyn asks as Kelley uses her upper body strength to pull herself up to a top bunk right across from Pinoe. 

 

“I woke up in someone else’s bed after sleeping through three alarms. Then I had to sprint ten blocks to get my stuff from the hotel and get here,” she recounts groggily. “So the night was good but the morning not so much.”

 

“That girl you went home with was so hot,” Pinoe remarks. 

 

“I know, I made sure I got her number before I left,” Kelley boasts before closing her curtain to get some more sleep, sunglasses still perched on the bridge of her nose. 

 

Many of the other passengers follow Kelley’s lead, closing their own curtains and falling back asleep themselves. Ali and Ashlyn are the only two to leave their curtains open, laying on their sides and facing each other across the aisle. 

 

“You’re too far,” Ali whines, reaching her hand to hold Ashlyn’s, bridging the few feet of space between them.

 

“I love you,” Ashlyn whispers, on the verge of sleep.

 

“I love you too,” Ali replies. They fall asleep like that, hands joined in the aisle, everyone else carefully stepping over them when they move through the bus later in the afternoon, Ali and Ashlyn continuing to sleep.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!
> 
> Since you guys guess both of the songs referenced in the last chapter, here's a preview of the next thing I'm working on:  
> \---
> 
> “What the hell is that?” Ali asks when she sees the shark in Ashlyn’s hand. 
> 
> “It’s a shark,” Ashlyn replies, moving the bottom jaw up and down, pretending to bite Ali’s arm with it. “What’s that?” she asks, holding the shark’s mouth up to her ear as if she’s listening to it. “He says you don’t taste very good.”
> 
> “Well I can safely say that’s the first time I’ve heard that. Usually it’s the opposite,” Ali replies, playfully sticking her tongue out. 
> 
> \---
> 
> Hope everyone is still enjoying this story while I work on the next one :)


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone adjusts to life on the tour bus and Ali meets Ashlyn's family for the first time.

**mid - late July**

**Tampa**

 

Sharing a bus with so many other people proves to be quite the adjustment, especially for the newcomers. The first night, Ali learns the hard way not to try to sit up in a bunk. That is, unless you  _ want  _ to cover up a bump on your forehead with concealer (Ashlyn dutifully tells her no one will notice but they both know it’s visible). 

 

Each bunk has a few overhead lights and a small television that pulls down from the ceiling so everyone has personal space they can retreat to when need be. There are two common seating areas on board so everyone tends to congregate in those areas when they travel during waking hours but it is nice to have some semi-private space while living on a bus with ten other people. 

 

The most important rule on the bus is to respect your fellow passengers. The bunk area can be sealed off from the front and back seating areas by sliding doors which they make excellent use of when some want to stay up and continue talking after others have gone to bed. 

 

Naturally, Ali wants to document the changes that come along with living on a bus. After a week on the road, she decides to interview her fellow passengers about the changes. Knowing that everyone feeds off of each other, she pulls them to the back of the bus in pairs and trios to film talking heads. 

 

“What’s your least favorite thing about living on a bus?” She questions Ashlyn, HAO, and Pinoe. 

 

“The toilets you can’t poop in,” HAO replies bluntly, eliciting a laugh from everyone in the room. “Like, what’s the point of that?”

 

“That’s a good one,” Pinoe replies, still laughing. “I actually really like being on a bus so I’ll go with that one too.”

 

“For me, it’s a little bit harder when I feel inspired to write a new song. I always feel bad disturbing people when inspiration strikes but it’s important to write things down as they come to me. But the flip side of that is actually my favorite part because it’s really easy to collaborate with my band members on new material when we’re on the same bus,” Ashlyn explains. 

 

Ali knows exactly where she’s coming from. After sharing rooms (and a bus) together since they announced their relationship to the crew in London, she has been privy to Ashlyn’s song writing process multiple times. She’d interviewed Ashlyn about her process a few months back and was surprised at how each song starts out differently. Sometimes, Ashlyn explained, it starts out with an idea for guitar or piano chords and she writes lyrics that fit the tune. Other times, lyrics pop into her head and she composes music to fit the words. 

 

“Agreed,” Heather replies. “It’s nice having so many of your friends nearby when you’re on the road like we are; there’s always someone to talk to or play games with to pass the time.”

 

“What are your favorite games to play?” Ali asks. 

 

“Mine is poker,” Ashlyn offers. 

 

“I love Heads Up,” HAO says. 

 

“We know,” Pinoe replies, rolling her eyes. “She gets super intense when we play Heads Up, no one can even come close to reaching her level of competitiveness. We usually have to stop before someone gets mad.”

 

Heather laughs. “It’s honestly like an out of body experience. I really can’t explain it,” she says, shrugging. 

 

Ali thanks the trio, deciding to wrap up the interview there so she can get some other perspectives. She interviews Liz and Becky about their first time living on a tour bus before finally interviewing Tobin and Christen together. 

 

“This’ll be quick,” Ali promises as the couple sits on the black leather couch at the back of the bus. “What’s your favorite part of living on a bus?” she questions. 

 

“It’s easier to sleep than when we travel by plane,” Tobin answers. 

 

“Yeah, and we don’t have to lug out suitcases through airports. We just take whatever one we need when we check into our hotels near venues.”

 

“She has a lot of stuff,” Tobin points out. 

 

Christen doesn’t argue that point, shrugging her shoulders instead. 

 

“What’s your least favorite part about the busses?” Ali asks. 

 

“Well,” Christen begins, “it used to be that it’s hard to do yoga on a moving bus but now it’s that the bunks are too small.”

 

“Too small how?” Ali prods. She has a feeling she knows what Christen is getting at but pushes anyway. 

 

“Too small for two people,” Christen divulges, speaking quickly as if people will miss the innuendo. 

 

“It really is,” Tobin confirms, smiling as she looks over at Christen who blushes under her girlfriend’s gaze. 

 

Ali fully understand the struggle, after having tried to cuddle (and maybe something else) in Ashlyn’s bunk one night. They managed to fall asleep on their sides but Ali woke up on the floor in the middle of the night, apparently having rolled out of the tiny bunk. She’d never been so thankful that Ashlyn picked a bottom bunk, not even wanting to imagine how terrifying and painful it would be to roll out of one of the top bunks. She’s about to pack up her camera equipment when Ashlyn, Becky, and Liz (with camera in hand) walk into the room. 

 

“Your turn,” Ashlyn says brightly.

 

“What are you talking about?” 

 

“We’re gonna interview you,” Ashlyn clarifies, smirking. 

 

“Ash, no.”

 

“Ali, yes. You haven’t been interviewed the entire time we’ve been on tour and I  _ know  _ you have opinions about things. Please? It’ll be fun,” Ashlyn practically begs, knowing Ali won’t be able to turn her down when she asks like that. 

 

“Ugh, fine,” Ali says, taking one of the seats Tobin and Christen had vacated just a seconds prior. 

 

Ashlyn takes a seat behind Ali’s camera, Becky showing her how it works while Liz films from the hallway, thinking it’ll be great for the documentary to show Ashlyn trying out this new role. “Okay,” Ashlyn says, beaming as she looks at Ali on the couch. “What have you liked the most about being on tour so far?”

 

Ali smiles at how seriously Ashlyn is taking this role reversal. “Getting to know the band and crew, definitely.”

 

“Anyone in particular?” Ashlyn asks mischievously. 

 

Ali has to remind herself that she’s on camera and shouldn’t roll her eyes at such a seemingly innocent but totally loaded question. “Pretty much everyone but specifically, I’ve gotten pretty close to Whitney, HAO, Syd, Pinoe, Kelley, and you, Ashlyn,” she answers, unable to control her smile as she says Ashlyn’s name at the end of the list. 

 

“What future stop are you most excited for?” Ashlyn questions.

 

“Miami,” Ali answers without hesitation. “My mom lives there so she’s coming to the show and I’ll get to see her for the first time since Christmas. My dad is going to be on a business trip when we go to D.C. so he’s flying down for that show too. I can’t wait.”

 

“Is it hard keeping up with the lives of so many people on tour?” Ashlyn asks. 

 

“Don’t phrase it as a yes or no question,” Becky advises.

 

“Right, sorry,” Ashlyn replies, pausing for a second to mentally rephrase the question. “What are the challenges of documenting so many people on tour?”

 

“Good,” Becky compliments. 

 

“The hardest thing is that I’m always missing something, no matter what I’m filming. If I film while the band learns a cover song for the night, I might miss something that happens with the costumes or lighting in the arena. I have a good film crew here with me so, luckily, we’re able to split up most of the time and cover as much as possible. We never know where exciting things are going to happen each day so it’s important to have as much coverage as possible so we don’t miss anything.”

 

“How would you say the first couple of episodes turns out?” Ashlyn asks and Ali begins to wonder just how long she’s been planning on ambushing her like this. 

 

“I thought they were great,” Ali replies, smiling. “It’s fun to see them air now and look back on those early moments. The reception has been great so I think it’s going to be a really good season.”

 

“Any plans for a season two?”

 

Ali smirks. “We’ll have to wait and see.” She and Ashlyn had jokingly discussed the possibility of doing a season two surrounding Ashlyn recording her next album but they’re fairly certain nothing will come out of that discussion. 

 

“Thank you, miss Krieger,” Ashlyn says formally, standing to shake Ali’s hand after she and Liz shut their cameras off. 

 

“You’re welcome, miss Harris.”

 

They stand there smiling at each other for a few moments before Becky and Liz exit the room, both grumbling about the couple’s heart eyes. 

 

“You’re such a dork, I can’t believe I’m in love with you,” Ali says once they’re alone. 

 

“I can’t believe you’re in love with me either. I don’t know how I got so lucky,” Ashlyn cheeses, pulling Ali close, resting her hands on Ali’s lower back as they embrace. 

 

“You know, if this whole music thing falls through, I think you could consider a career in filmmaking,” Ali says, resting her head on Ashlyn’s chest. 

 

“I learned from the best,” Ashlyn replies, kissing the top of Ali’s head.. 

 

\---

 

The first three weeks of the North American tour come and go in a blur. Despite feeling like they’ve just boarded the bus yesterday, they’re nearly a quarter of the way through by the time the Atlanta show is finished and they head farther south. 

 

Neither Ali nor Ashlyn can sleep on the drive to Tampa so they end up cuddling on the couch in the back of the bus--Ali’s legs propped up on the wrap-around sofa and Ashlyn’s head in her lap as she lazily plays with her hair.

 

“You ready to meet my family tomorrow?” Ashlyn asks.

 

“Excited and a little nervous.”

 

“Don’t be nervous,” Ashlyn says softly. “I’ve yet to meet someone who doesn’t love you.”

 

“You’re sweet,” Ali responds, twirling Ashlyn’s hair around her finger. “You ready to meet my family when we get to Miami?”

 

“I am. If they’re anything like you, I’ll have them wrapped around my finger in an instant.”

 

Ali laughs. “It took you a lot longer than that to get me wrapped around your finger,” she sasses. 

 

“You’re right,” Ashlyn conceded, “it took two cups of free coffee.”

 

Ali doesn’t argue the point--after all, coffee is the way to her heart--so instead, she asks Ashlyn to switch places. “So what do you have planned for my birthday?” Ali questions as Ashlyn starts playing with her hair. 

 

Ashlyn’s eyes go wide. “You have a birthday coming up? Shit, I totally forgot,” Ashlyn frets. 

 

“Nice try,” Ali says, rolling her eyes. She’s been dropping not so subtle hints about what she wants for several weeks now so there’s no way she actually forgot. 

 

“Man, I really thought that performance would win me an Oscar,” Ashlyn grumbles. She pauses for a moment before continuing, “did you really think that would work?”.

 

Ali laughs. “It was worth a shot.”

 

Ashlyn smiles as she continues playing with Ali’s hair, contentedly watching her girlfriend drift off to sleep at her gentle touches. 

 

\---

 

They arrive in Tampa just thirteen hours before the show is scheduled to start, leaving no time to sleep in. Ashlyn’s family is already in town so she and Ali skip load-in to have breakfast with the family at their hotel which is located right on the water in Tampa Bay. 

 

Ashlyn’s mom and grandma are nearly moved to tears as they embrace her in the hotel lobby, not having seen her since Christmas. Ali stands back a bit, giving them the space they need for their much awaited reunion. She watches as Ashlyn’s mom lovingly touches her face, hair, shoulders, and arms before finally taking her hands--as if she was checking out a newborn, making sure that everything is as it should be. 

 

After a few minutes, Tammye suggests they move their reunion upstairs. There’s more family waiting upstairs and they’ve attracted attention from people at the breakfast bar and as much as Ashlyn loves her fans, none of them want their all too limited family time to be interrupted. 

 

“You must be Ali,” Tammye says, pulling Ali in for a hug as they wait for the elevator. “Or do you prefer Alex?”

 

“Both are great,” Ali responds, smiling as she and Tammye break apart. 

 

Their elevator arrives so Ashlyn ducks her head a little as it clears out and they enter the mercifully empty elevator. 

 

“You are gorgeous, sweetie,” grandma Harris compliments as she too pulls Ali into a hug. 

 

Ali doesn’t respond, instead leaning into the older woman’s embrace, suddenly realizing where Ashlyn gets it from. 

 

“Oh, Ash, she’s just stunning,” Ashlyn’s grandma says, patting Ashlyn on the shoulder as they exit the elevator on the fourth floor. 

 

“I completely agree,” Ashlyn responds, grinning at Ali. 

 

“Man, I should hang out with your family more often,” Ali whispers as they enter the suite Ashlyn had purchased for her family. There are about twenty people in the suite, all of whom look up excitedly as Ashlyn enters the room. 

 

Ashlyn makes the rounds, hugging everyone in the room, before getting ahold of her cousin’s baby, settling him onto her hip as she gets everyone’s attention. 

 

“This is my wonderful girlfriend, Ali,” she announces, wrapping her free hand around Ali’s waist. 

 

“Nice to meet you all,” Ali says, waving. None of Ashlyn’s family is satisfied with this greeting, however, so she’s soon surrounded by aunts, uncles, and cousins, all looking to properly greet the women who has captured Ashlyn’s heart. 

 

“Aren’t you going to say hi?” Ashlyn asks, walking over to Chris who is still sitting on one of the beds, making no effort to move. 

 

“On my own time,” he says. “She’s pretty,” he adds, seeing Ashlyn’s frown. 

 

“Chris, I swear to god you better be nice to her,” Ashlyn warns. She knows how protective her older brother can be and she doesn’t want him to terrify Ali, especially not when she’d been so nervous to meet the family. 

 

“I will,” he promises. “I just want to talk to her--make sure she checks out.”

 

Ashlyn rolls her eyes, knowing she won’t be able to dissuade him, instead turning her full attention to the baby on her hip. “Hello, handsome,” she coos.

 

Chris continues to hang back for a bit as Ali finally greets Ashlyn’s dad. She’s taken aback by the similarity of some of their facial features, right down to their single dimple. Only after Ali’s done meeting everyone does Chris finally step up. 

 

“Hi, Ali,” he greets. “You wanna take a walk down by the beach so we can talk a little?” he asks. 

 

Ashlyn had warned Ali that Chris is in overprotective mode so she’s not at all surprised by the request. They make small talk as they make their way down to the shore: the beautiful weather, how nice the hotel is that Ashlyn hooked them up with, and the night’s show before Chris finally gets down to it. 

 

“I just want to get to know you a little,” Chris explains as they walk down the beach. “So many people have tried to use her--including her last girlfriend, as you probably know.”

 

“I know,” Ali replies. 

 

“She really trusted Steph and her trust was very obviously misplaced. But she’s not the only one.  Even so called friends have tried to use her to get ahead and I hate seeing her go through that.”

 

“I hate it too. It was difficult to watch her deal with the photos,” Ali says, not mentioning that part of Ashlyn’s struggle was that she had mistakenly thought she had something to do with it. “Look,” Ali begins, deciding to cut to the chase, “I love your sister, okay?”

 

Chris nods but doesn’t reply. 

 

“I know that she’s a celebrity but that doesn’t matter to me because I also know that she is the kindest, most generous person I’ve ever met. I know that when she was seven she cried when her pet goldfish died but she told everyone it was because her favorite band split up. I know that she was so overwhelmed the first time she kissed a girl in high school because it felt so much better to her than kissing boys and she’d never known that anything could ever feel so natural. I know that she once tore her ACL surfing and she swore to herself that she’d never do it again but it would’ve taken a lot more than that to actually keep her out of the water forever. I know that she once had to fire someone mid-tour and couldn’t sleep for days because she felt like she’d betrayed a friend even though she knew it was the right thing to do. I know that she wants a big family, just like I do. And I know that I’d be stupid to ever take advantage of someone who already gives so much of herself to the world. I’m in this for her, not her money or her status or anything of the sort.”

 

Chris smiles, looking so much like his younger sister as he does. “Okay,” he says simply. “It’s nice to have you here, then,” he adds, pulling Ali into a bear hug without warning. His phone rings in his pocket as they pull apart. “Ash said to meet them down at the restaurant when I’m done scaring you off,” he says, reading Ashlyn’s text. 

 

“You wanna mess with her a bit?” Ali questions mischievously. 

 

“Always,” he replies. “What do you have in mind?”

 

\---

 

Ashlyn is livid, to say the least, when Chris enters the private room at the restaurant alone, Ali nowhere to be found. She briefly wonders if Ali is in the bathroom but Chris looks guiltier than he had when they'd broken their mother's brand new garden gazing ball by throwing golf balls over the house as children (not their best idea but both were impressed by the accuracy of his throw). 

 

"I'm so sorry," he says.

 

"What the fuck, Chris," Ashlyn exclaims, jumping out of her seat and facing her brother. "What did you say to her? I swear to god, if you made her cry..." She trails off.

 

"I guess she just didn't like what I had to say. But, look, it's probably better to find this out now, don't you think?"

 

"I'm gonna kill you," Ashlyn says. She balls her hands into fists, knowing full well that she'd never win a fight with him (she never has) but thinking there’s no better time to try. 

 

"You're not going to hit my buddy Chris, are you?" Ali asks, entering the room.

 

"Thanks for coming in before she actually hit me," Chris says to Ali as Ashlyn (and the rest of the family) begin to catch on.

 

"I'm dumping both of you," Ashlyn says, visibly relaxing. 

 

"Love you," Chris and Ali reply in unison.

 

Ali can tell Ashlyn's still a little worked up so she draws her into a hug. "I'll make it up to you tonight," she whispers so only Ashlyn can hear, her hot breath tickling Ashlyn’s neck.

 

Ali's promise perks Ashlyn up considerably and she begins to pry for details about Chris and Ali's talk. Neither reveals too much but as they're leaving the restaurant, Chris pulls Ashlyn aside.

 

"She's a good one, don't fuck it up," he says, clapping her on the shoulder. “And she’s cute so you hit the jackpot there.”

 

Ashlyn laughs. “You’re telling me,” she says, smirking. 

 

“I don’t even want to know what that smirk is for.”

 

“Probably not,” Ashlyn agrees. 

 

\---

 

The Tampa show is Ashlyn’s favorite show of the tour, as she explains in the post show interview. Although she hasn’t lived in Florida since she left for LA, she still thinks of it as home and always looks forward to playing in front of so many family and friends. It’s part of the reason she always likes to have two shows in Florida. 

 

She celebrates for a bit with her family after the show before the busses have to leave. It’s not goodbye for long, however, as they will be leaving their hotel rooms early the next morning to attend the Miami show as well, willing to do whatever it takes to support and spend time with the busy musician. 

 

“Today went well,” Ali says once they’re settled on the bus, cuddling on the couches. 

 

“Yeah, except you and Chris scaring the shit out of me,” Ashlyn says. “You still owe me.”

 

“Sorry. Are you really mad?” she asks softly, rubbing Ashlyn’s arm. 

 

Ashlyn smiles. “No, I like that you were bonding even if it was at my expense. I’m sorry he gave you a hard time.”

 

“Please, it’s nothing Kyle wouldn’t have done if he didn’t already know you by the time we started dating.”

 

“Wait,” Ashlyn begins, “you don’t know that Kyle pulled me aside in Paris?” 

 

Ali shakes her head. Kyle had been so supportive when she’d told him about the date so she’s surprised that Kyle went into protective big brother mode. “What did he say?

 

“Probably the same things Chris told you. The classic ‘don’t you dare hurt her’ speech. It was no big deal.”

 

Ali laughs. “Gotta love those brothers. I wish Kyle was here so they could meet tomorrow.”

 

“I know, babe, me too,” Ashlyn replies gently, kissing the top of her head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The broken gazing ball incident may or may not have been inspired from my own childhood ;) we still find broken bits of red glass in the garden to this day. Whoops. 
> 
> Next chapter is Ali's birthday so you should probably get excited for that one
> 
> As always, let me know what you think.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ali and Ashlyn's families meet for the first time. Ashlyn has a birthday surprise for Ali.

**July 27 - 29**

**Miami**

 

Ali doesn’t have to wish for Kyle’s presence for long, however, as they pull up to Deb’s house in Miami and see Ali’s entire family, including Kyle, standing outside waiting for them. 

 

“Oh my god,” Ali exclaims, running to her brother first. “I thought you weren’t shooting with us until we get to LA?”

 

“I’m not here for work, I’m here because your wonderful girlfriend flew me out for your birthday.” 

 

“Oh my god,” Ali repeats, beaming as she turns to her girlfriend. “Thank you,” she says, pulling Ashlyn in for a quick hug before turning her attention to greeting her parents and step parents. 

 

“Nice to finally meet you,” Deb says, hugging Ashlyn. “Alex has told me so many wonderful things about you,” she adds, pulling back and holding Ashlyn at an arm’s length, smiling at her. Ashlyn knew that Ali gets her looks from her mom, having seen many photos of the two but the resemblance in person is striking and Ashlyn knows that this is almost exactly what Ali will look like in 30 or so years. 

 

“Nice to meet you too; now I know where Ali and Kyle get their good looks from,” She charms. 

 

“You’re too kind. Thank you for flying Kyle out, you really didn’t have to do that,” Deb replies. 

 

“Oh, gosh, don’t even worry about it. I’d never want him to miss a little family reunion, especially with Alex’s birthday tomorrow.”

 

Ali listens as Ashlyn charms her parents and step parents, already noticing that they seem to adore the musician. She’s always been close to her parents and it’s always been important to her that they like her significant other. It hasn’t always been the case, she’s dated a few people they've disapproved of, but she knows she has something special with Ashlyn and their approval means more to her than she could put into words.

 

After chatting for a couple of hours, Deb finally announces that she needs to begin preparing lunch as Ashlyn’s family will be arriving soon. Ashlyn immediately jumps up, offering to help, but Deb is reluctant until Ashlyn assures her that it’s no trouble at all and that she misses being able to cook in a full sized kitchen while on the road. 

 

By the time Ashlyn’s family arrives, Ali’s face hurts from smiling so much. They all greet Ali like they’ve known her for years before she and Ashlyn stand aside, watching as their families meet for the first time. 

 

“This is going well,” Ashlyn notes after they’ve eaten lunch. Everyone has gotten along better than could be expected--so much so that Ali and Ashlyn felt like they were getting in the way. 

 

“I know,” Ali replies, tucking her feet underneath her on the couch. “I swear, if my mom wasn’t married, she would take you for herself.”

 

Ashlyn laughs, briefly drawing Chris and Kyle’s attention away from the surfing videos they’re watching. “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” she says, putting her arm around Ali’s shoulder and pulling her close. 

 

“Guess not,” Ali says, turning her head for a quick, chaste kiss. “Thank you for flying Kyle down; best birthday present ever.”

 

“Oh, so I can take everything else back?” Ashlyn questions, earning an elbow to her ribcage in response. “Point taken.”

 

By the time Ali and Ashlyn have to leave for soundcheck, they have no qualms about leaving their families alone together until they too have to head to the arena for the night’s concert. Both families arrive before fans start streaming in so Ashlyn can give them a quick tour backstage before they head to their box seats. After the tour is completed and Ashlyn heads off to work on the night’s cover song--quite appropriately “Home” by Jack Johnson--Ali asks Ashlyn’s family if they would like to be interviewed for the documentary. Mike, a rather private man, politely declines but Tammye and Chris accept so Ali, Liz, Becky, and Tobin lead them to an empty dressing room for the interview. 

 

“When Ashlyn was a kid, did you ever imagine that she would end up playing sold out shows in front of over this many people?” Ali asks the pair on the couch. 

 

“Not as a kid, no,” Tammye answers honestly. “She always had the talent and the drive to succeed but we didn’t live anywhere near LA or even Nashville and we couldn’t afford to make a move like that so opportunities were hard to come by. But then she moved to LA soon after high school and everything started falling into place. I had a good feeling as soon as she signed her record deal. That’s the first time I was sure she’d be a star. I always knew she had it in her but it was all about getting the right opportunity at the right time.”

 

“We always wanted to be different things as kids: pro surfers or skateboarders, cops, lifeguards, that kind of stuff so when she started playing music I thought it was just one of those things that she would eventually move on from,” Chris explains. 

 

“What’s it like being related to one of the biggest stars in the world? Do you get recognized?” Ali questions

 

“All the time,” Chris says. “She was always known as my little sister throughout school so she says it’s payback that I’m now known as her brother.”

 

“I’m so proud of her,” Tammye gushes. “Not because she’s a celebrity but because she knew what she wanted and she built an amazing life for herself. As a parent, that’s what you want for your kids and she has exceeded expectations in every way. I’m excited to see what the future holds for her because I know she’ll be great at whatever she does.”

 

“I think that’s a great place to stop,” Ali says, shutting her camera off. “Thanks for taking the time to sit down with me, I’m sure Ash will be surprised when she sees the episode.” She stands, reaching to shake each of their hands. 

 

“Thank you, sweetheart,” Tammye responds, ignoring Ali’s hand and pulling her in for a hug instead. “You know,” she begins, pulling back a little and resting her hands on Ali’s shoulders, “I know it’s still early but I haven’t seen her this happy in a long time. Thank you for being that for her.”

 

Ali smiles. Truthfully, she hasn’t been this happy in a long time either--not since well before she and Jeff broke up--and even though it’s only been two months, she can picture herself having a future with the musician. Not yet, certainly, but she has a feeling that they’re on the right track. “She makes me happy too. Thank you, both of you, for being so welcoming,” she says, glancing between Tammye and Chris as she speaks. “Now let’s go get ready for the show.”

 

\---

 

The night’s show runs a little differently than their previous shows: after consulting with the band, Ashlyn decided to save the cover song for last in order to bid farewell to her family, friends, and fans from her home state. Ali watches (and films) as Ashlyn gets more and more emotional throughout the song and she knows that Ashlyn held off on playing it for this exact reason.

 

“You okay?” Ali asks gently once Ashlyn has made her way offstage. 

 

Ashlyn smiles. “Yeah, I just miss this place sometimes. I couldn’t wait to get away when I was younger but now it’s hard to leave, especially when I know I won’t be back until Thanksgiving.”

 

Ali wraps her arms around Ashlyn, gently rubbing her back as they embrace. They’re silent for a few moments before Ali speaks again. “Hey, maybe you can show me around your hometown over the holidays? It’s a Miami Christmas year for Kyle and I and I’d love to take a drive up to Satellite Beach to see where you grew up.”

 

“I can’t wait,” Ashlyn replies, already thinking of places she’d like to show Ali. The beach where she learned to surf; the music shop where she got her first guitar; the skatepark where she and Chris would skate from sunup to sundown, coming home sunburnt and scraped up but happy as could be as they told anyone who would listen about all the cool tricks they’d tried. All of the things that she took advantage of as a child, not understanding how much she would miss them once she moved away. Her quiet, introspective moment doesn’t last long, however, as her and Ali’s families finally make their way backstage from their box and greet the women. 

 

They drag out their goodbyes (and birthday wishes for Ali) for as long as possible before Whitney texts them that the bus is about to leave for the New Orleans, where they will be playing after having tomorrow, Ali’s birthday, off. 

 

“See you guys Friday,” Ashlyn announces, poking her head onto the bus. “Is there anything you need off the bus?” Ashlyn asks, turning around to face a very confused Ali behind her. 

 

“I--uh, I don’t know,” Ali stammers, unsure of what’s going on as Ashlyn moves around her to the storage underneath the bus. She watches curiously as Ashlyn pulls out a small carryon suitcase. 

 

“Don’t worry, I packed clothes for you. Not that we’ll be needing them.”

 

Ali stands there, frozen in her spot. “Ash… what?” she asks. 

 

“What?” Ashlyn asks innocently, wheeling the small suitcase over to where Ali is standing. “You didn’t think Kyle was the only birthday surprise I had planned, did you?” she asks. 

 

“Kind of,” Ali replies. “Maybe a pair of earrings or something, I don’t know.”

 

“Good, that’s what I was hoping you’d think. Our Uber is here, we should get going,” Ashlyn says, gesturing for Ali to follow as they walk around to the other side of the bus to an idling car. Ashlyn tosses the small suitcase into the trunk and opens the door, gesturing for Ali to get in first. 

 

“What about the show on Friday?” Ali asks.

 

“We’ll be there, don’t worry,” Ashlyn answers, settling in next to Ali and closing the door. 

 

The Uber, as it turns out, is really just Kyle driving Deb’s black Prius. Ashlyn explains that she was concerned about the lack of privacy and anonymity in an actual Uber so she enlisted Kyle (and Deb’s help) at the house earlier. 

 

“Where are we going?” Ali asks, trying to peek at the dashboard GPS only to have Ashlyn cover her eyes. 

 

“Don’t look!” Ashlyn exclaims. “It’s a secret.”

 

Ali laughs, prying Ashlyn’s hand away from her face but not making another move to look at the GPS. Instead, she rests her head on Ashlyn’s shoulder and closes her eyes, confident that she’ll love wherever Ashlyn is taking her. 

 

After what feels like an hour but in reality is only fifteen minutes, Kyle pulls up to a beautiful  hotel right on the water. “Wow, this is beautiful,” Ali marvels, stepping out of the car as Kyle gets their suitcase out of the trunk. 

 

“God, I need to hit the gym more if I have to keep carting your asses and all your stuff around,” he jokes, passing the suitcase off to Ashlyn. “Why do you even need that much stuff? It’s not like you’ll be wearing any of it.” 

 

“I sure hope not,” Ashlyn says, grinning. “Thanks so much, Ky,” she says, pulling him in for a hug. 

 

“Anytime.” 

 

“Thanks, Kyle,” Ali says, hugging her brother as well. “Love you.”

 

“Love you too. Have a good birthday and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” he replies with a wink.

 

“You hear that, Ash? Kyle said we can do anything we want,” Ali quips as they make their way into the hotel. 

 

Ashlyn navigates them to the front desk as Ali looks around at the absolutely stunning lobby. She’s never been in a hotel this nice and she suddenly understands why as she spots the five gold stars underneath the hotel’s logo on the wall behind the desk. 

 

“Welcome to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Spa,” the young woman behind the desk greets. “Checking in?”

 

“Yes,” Ashlyn says, digging her wallet out of her back pocket and producing her driver's license and credit card. 

 

“Ahhh, miss Harris,” the woman says upon seeing her name on the card. Ali watches, amazed, as she waves over a bellhop. “We have you booked for two nights in the Mandarin Suite. Eric here will take your bags and show you to your room. Have a great stay,” she says, handing Ashlyn her ID and credit card back and giving Eric their room keys. 

 

“Enjoy your stay,” Eric says, opening the door for them once they’ve reached their room. “Let us know if you need anything else,” he adds, handing Ashlyn the keys. 

 

“Thank you,” Ashlyn replies. She slips a $50 bill out of her wallet and hands it to the young bellhop who takes it graciously before retreating back to the elevators. As he walks away, Ashlyn holds the door open for Ali, letting her enter first. 

 

“Ash,” Ali breathes, taking in their top floor suite. “This is too much.”

 

“It could never be too much for you,” Ashlyn replies, wrapping her arms around Ali’s waist from behind. “Happy birthday, baby,” she whispers, placing a few light kisses to Ali’s neck. 

 

Ali turns around in Ashlyn’s arms. “Thank you,” she says, kissing Ashlyn deeply. 

 

“Come on, let’s check this place out,” Ashlyn proposes once they’ve broken apart. They’re in the living room and can see the Miami skyline and Biscayne Bay through the floor to ceiling windows across the room. Ali is amazed as they head to the bedroom next, commenting that this place is three times the size of her place in New York. The bedroom has a king sized bed and a similar view of the city and water out the windows, a sliding door to the suite long balcony hidden amongst all the glass.

 

“This is amazing,” Ali marvels as they pass back through the living room on the way to the kitchen and dining room. “Is there another bedroom back there?” Ali asks curiously, seeing a door just off of the dining room.

 

“Nope,” Ashlyn says, popping the ‘p’. “That’s our private spa room,” she explains. 

 

“You’re kidding.”

 

“I would never kid about a private spa room. Go ahead, check it out,” Ashlyn prompts. 

 

“Oh my god,” Ali exclaims, opening the door. She’s not sure how it’s possible, but the spa room is even more beautiful than the rest of the suite. The first thing she notices are the matching massage tables in the center of the room, already knowing that they’ll be making good use of those during their stay. The second thing she notices is the large infinity bathtub, which luckily appears to be big enough for two. For once, she’s completely speechless and instead of trying to find the words to express the hundreds of things she’s feeling, she simply strips her clothes and saunters over to the tub, turning on the water. “You coming?” she asks a very amused Ashlyn.

 

“I’m pretty sure I will be,” Ashlyn quips as she begins to shed her clothes as well and climbing into the warm water. “Hi,” she says, settling across from Ali in the tub.

 

“Hi,” Ali replies, resting her hands on Ashlyn’s thighs as she leans forward to kiss her. The kiss deepens quickly until Ali finally slips a hand between Ashlyn’s legs, beginning to stroke her. Ashlyn breaks the kiss at Ali’s actions, putting her hand on Ali’s wrist to stop her. “Something wrong?” Ali questions, concerned as she looks at Ashlyn.

 

Ashlyn shakes her head, gently pushing Ali back against her side of the tub. “It’s officially after midnight; birthday girls get treated first,” she explains before recapturing Ali’s lips in a heated kiss. 

 

Ali doesn’t argue--no one in their right mind would--instead simply moaning as Ashlyn begins to work on her neck and uses her hands to tweak Ali’s nipples. “I love you,” Ali whimpers between moans, prompting Ashlyn to move her lips back up to Ali’s, kissing her firmly before moving back down to her neck. They continue like that--making out, teasing each other until the water is cold and neither feels like they can spend another second without tasting the other. 

 

They drain the tub, both foregoing the fluffy robes hanging on the wall, as Ali challenges Ashlyn to a race to the bedroom. 

 

“What does the winner--which will be me--get?” Ashlyn questions, hands resting on her hips. 

 

“Winner gets to come first,” Ali replies as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Ready, set, go!” she exclaims, taking off out of the spa room. She sprints through the rest of the suite and jumps into the bed before Ashlyn even crosses the threshold into the bedroom. She rolls onto her back, scooching back towards the pillows as Ashlyn joins her in bed, hovering over her.

 

“I let you win for your birthday,” Ashlyn claims.

 

“Yeah I’m sure it has nothing to do with your refusal to do any type of cardio when we workout.”

 

Ashlyn shushes her, capturing her lips in a searing kiss that has Ali writhing in an instant, desperate for more. “Please, Ash,” Ali whines, trying to nudge the blonde lower. Ashlyn obliges without protest, undeniably aware of how eager they both are for release. She doesn’t rush things, however, instead working slowly to build Ali up over and over again just to pull back, listening to Ali’s moans turn into groans of frustration as her impending orgasm slips back out of reach. After being brought towards to the edge for a third time without release, Ali decides that she can’t stand any more teasing. “Ashlyn, I swear to god,” she begins, gasping as Ashlyn finally decides to take mercy on her, using her tongue to finally push her over the edge. “Holy shit,” Ali whispers, panting as soon as she’s able to form a coherent thought again. 

 

“Good?” Ashlyn asks. She smirks, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand as she moves back up to the top of the bed. 

 

“The best,” Ali raves, smiling blissfully. “I’m not quite sure I can move after that.”

 

Ashlyn groans, desperate for her own release. 

 

“Don’t worry, I’m not leaving you hanging,” Ali promises. She lays there for a few more moments, catching her breath, before she finally climbs on top of her girlfriend. As much as she’d like to draw this out, to torture Ashlyn as much as Ashlyn had tortured her, she’s far too tired to bring Ashlyn to the brink multiple times before finally giving her what she wants. Instead, she works as quickly as possible, bringing Ashlyn to orgasm in what feels like record time before crawling back up the the head of the bed and smiling sweetly as Ashlyn attempts to catch her breath. 

 

“What a way to start my birthday,” Ali says, grinning as she brushes Ashlyn’s hair away from her face. 

 

\---

 

The next day is filled with as many spa treatments as they can fit into the timeframe. Thanks to Ashlyn’s foresight, they don’t even have leave their room for spa treatments (Ali later learns that Ashlyn paid a great deal extra for a suite with a private spa room). Instead, they simply call the front desk to schedule what type of treatments they’d like and the front desk sends experts up to their room. Ali loses count of how many messages they request, both women wanting to take advantage of the pampering available to them as part of the (enormous) cost of the room. 

 

“Best birthday ever,” Ali says as they’re both receiving pedicures. 

 

“Hey, it’s not everyday you turn 29,” Ashlyn says, grinning. 

 

“Oh, God, I’m going to be 30 next year.”

 

“You’re so old,” Ashlyn quips, thankful that their chairs are far enough away that Ali can’t smack her. 

 

“Watch it,” Ali warns. She leans her head back against the chair, thinking about how she couldn’t imagine a better way to spend her birthday. Sure, she loves the people on tour but it’s chaotic living with so many women on a bus and they’re constantly working. Although their alone time is short, it’s the perfect little getaway before they have to re-join the craziness tomorrow afternoon. “It’s going to be so strange jumping right back into chaos after all this peace and quiet,” she muses aloud. 

 

“I know; I wish we could stay forever.”

 

Ali hums appreciatively, closing her eyes and leaning her head back against the headrest. Once their pedicures are over, they decide to order room service and a bottle of wine, intending on spending every single second of their stay in their magnificent suite. They opt to eat their meal at the small table on the balcony, looking out at Miami and the bay as they eat, polishing off the entire bottle of wine by the time they head back inside. They retire early--the wine and their day of pampering making them want to cuddle more than anything else. 

 

“So did you have a good day today?” Ashlyn asks.

 

“Best birthday ever,” Ali asserts. “I think this needs to be a tradition.”

 

“I’m sure that can be arranged,” Ashlyn says, smiling. 

 

“What time do we need to be at the airport tomorrow?” Ali questions.

 

“Check-out is at noon, we fly out at two,” Ashlyn answers. 

 

Ali smiles, knowing this schedule will allow for more pampering in the morning. There’s no need to worry about packing as they’ve spent nearly their entire stay either naked or wearing the fluffy hotel robes which Ali jokes is a sure sign of a successful birthday. 

 

In the morning, there’s just enough time for breakfast before a final full body massage before they have to check-out. When they get to the airport, Ali is confused as their driver passes by the front entrance and instead pulls around the side of the airport, idling at a gate as a couple of guards open it up, allowing their car through. 

 

“Ashlyn?” Ali questions as they pull up next to a small plane.

 

“Sorry, one last surprise,” Ashlyn says. “This one is a practical one though; most of the flights from Miami to New Orleans have stops so we would’ve had to leave much earlier if we flew commercial.”

 

“You have a plane?” Ali asks, amazed at how she’s just now hearing about it.

 

“Just a rental,” Ashlyn explains as they get out of the car and board the private jet. 

 

The plane looks nothing like any of the planes Ali has ever seen. Instead of rows upon rows of uncomfortable seats, there are a few recliners along one side of the plane and a sectional sofa that wraps around the back and side wall with a small table and more seats towards the front. “Holy shit,” Ali exclaims, taking a seat on the couch. “And there are no flight attendants?” she questions.

 

“Nope. Just us,” Ashlyn answers, having a feeling she knows what Ali is getting at. 

 

“Cool, cool,” Ali replies as nonchalantly as possible. “You know what I  _ really  _ want to do?” she asks as someone secures the door closed behind them.

 

“What’s that?”

 

Ali lays back on the couch, putting her hands behind her head. “Take a nap,” she says, closing her eyes. 

 

Ashlyn busts out laughing. “Right, me too,” she replies once she’s recovered, deciding to play along. 

 

“I’m kidding; we’re totally going to fuck,” Ali declares, smiling at the way Ashlyn blushes at her word choice. Ashlyn isn’t stunned for long, however, as she takes a seat next to Ali for takeoff. They make out as the plane climbs higher and higher into the sky, both knowing that they’ll have limited time at cruising altitude on the short flight. They don’t talk, there’s no need to, as Ali removes Ashlyn’s shirt and sports bra and gently pushes her onto her back, looking forward to showing just how much she appreciates just how much she’d done for her birthday. Despite knowing that their time is limited, she places reverent kisses up and down her girlfriend’s long, lean torso, paying special attention to her breasts, leaving hickies in inconspicuous spots. 

 

“Alex, no time,” Ashlyn breathes from underneath her. 

 

Ali knows they’ve already used up about half the flight so she quickly pulls Ashlyn’s pants and boxers down her legs and begins stroking the musician as she continues to use her mouth to work on her breasts and neck. 

 

“Oh shit,” Ashlyn moans as Ali expertly strokes her, coming around her girlfriend’s fingers just minutes later. She recovers quickly, increasingly aware of their limited time ticking away. 

 

Ali climbs off Ashlyn, stripping her clothes as Ashlyn recovers. “Every flight after this is going to be so boring,” she notes as Ashlyn flips their positions, pinning Ali down to the couch. 

  
“Better make the most of it then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you're still enjoying! Only four regular chapters left before the epilogue :/


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ali and Ashlyn rejoin the tour after Ali's birthday celebration

**Late July - late August**

  
  


Re-joining the tour is much easier than either woman anticipated; their 36 hours of pampering and alone time proving to be all they needed to refresh before jumping back into things. They arrive at the arena in New Orleans just as everyone is getting ready for soundcheck so, although everyone hounds them for details, there’s no time to recount their getaway until later. 

 

After soundcheck, Ali and Liz decide to go grab a quick dinner a few blocks away from the arena. It’s less of a decision on Ali’s part and more of a demand on Liz’s but Ali is happy to spend some one-on-one time with her best friend nonetheless. They’re hardly in their seats before Liz begs for details about the getaway. 

 

“Where’d you go?” She asks. 

 

“She didn’t tell you guys?” Ali questions. Based on everyone’s reactions when Ashlyn had said goodbye to them on the bus, she assumed that everyone but her was in on the plan. 

 

“She didn’t even tell Whitney. All we knew was that you guys would fly out here in time for the show tonight,” Liz explains. “We’ve spent the last two days trying to figure out where you went.”

 

“Please don’t tell me everyone took bets again,” Ali deadpans. 

 

“No, but we did make a list of guesses. Top ones were just staying with your family or Disney.”

 

Ali shakes her head. “Wrong and wrong.”

 

“Well it didn’t help that you two went radio silent on social media. You could’ve been anywhere.”

 

Ali smiles, thinking back to their magnificent hotel. “She took me to a five star hotel and spa,” she begins. “So that in itself would’ve been more than I could have ever hoped for but, my god, she goes all out. We were in a massive suite on the top floor that was about twice the size of my apartment.”

 

“Oh my god,” Liz exclaims as their waiter comes over to take their order, their conversation halting for just a moment. “So you just spent two days getting pampered?” she asks.

 

“Oh, I’m not done talking about the room yet,” Ali replies, grinning. “So we were checking out the room: living room, bedroom, kitchen, dining room, all that good stuff and  _ then _ I see a door at the end of the hallway. Turns out, she paid extra so we could have a private en suite spa room so whenever we wanted a massage, they would just send masseurs up to us so we didn’t have to leave our own suite. I’m not kidding when I say this is the first time I’ve put on clothes in two days.”

 

“Thank you for not showing up naked.”

 

“Only for you, Liz, only for you.” They pause for a moment, digging into their meals. “Oh,” Ali exclaims in between bites. “I forgot to mention that she rented a private plane for us to fly here.”

 

“Ohhhh, look at you  _ casually _ forgetting to mention that you just flew on a private jet,” Liz quips. “I take it you joined the mile high club?”

 

Ali shrugs, smirking. “I meeeean, what else are you supposed to do when you’re alone on a private jet with your super hot girlfriend?” 

 

Liz pretends to cry at Ali’s confession, dramatically wiping fake tears away from her eyes. “You really know how to make a best friend proud,” she sighs. 

 

Ali smiles. “I try my best.”

 

As they continue eating, Liz catches Ali up on what she missed during the two nights she’s been away. Last night at the hotel, Whitney and Julie hosted a girl’s night in their room, homemade face masks being the only thing that really differentiated the night from other nights on tour. Every night is a girl’s night with so many women in the crew but Liz explains that it was rather exciting nonetheless. 

 

\---

 

For the next four weeks, the tour continues on as normal. They play all over the south and midwest before heading towards Denver after their show in Kansas City. They’re somewhere in the middle of Kansas when their bus breaks down. The passengers don’t notice, at first, as they’re all sleeping peacefully in their bunks. Their obliviousness doesn’t last long, however, as Becky gets up to go to the bathroom and immediately senses the lack of movement, going to the front to ask the driver what’s going on. He doesn’t know much more than she does--just that the bus was hesitating and he was barely able to pull off to the side of the freeway before it stalled. He suspects that it’s the transmission which means that they’re not moving anytime soon. 

 

By this point, this bus has been stopped long enough that the other passengers begin to feel that something is amiss so they begin to congregate towards the front of the bus. Ashlyn and Whitney take charge, asking their driver for information and trying to come up with a game plan while Ali and Liz, as tired as they are, stay out of the way and film the ongoing events. The driver attempts to get the bus moving again but to no avail, becoming more and more certain of the problem the more he tries. With their worst fears confirmed, Whitney immediately checks to see if there are any 24 hour car or bus rental places nearby, ultimately coming up empty handed and cursing that this had to happen at night and in the middle of nowhere. Finally, she decides to call people on their other busses, learning that they’re all about forty-five minutes ahead of where they’re stopped. 

 

“What should we do?” she asks Ashlyn.

 

Ashlyn shrugs. “We could call the other busses back and split up,” she offers.

 

“We can’t call the stage crew back,” Whitney counters. “The stage needs to get setup or it won’t matter if the rest of us make it or not.”

 

“And you couldn’t find a rental place?” Ashlyn questions.

 

Whitney shakes her head. “Not one that’s open this time of night.”

 

“How far are we from Denver?” Becky interjects. 

 

“About five hours,” Whitney answers, checking the map on her phone. 

 

“What time did the car rental places open?” Becky asks.

 

“Seven.”

 

Becky thinks for a moment, formulating a plan. “How about this: we hang tight and sleep here for the next few hours. At seven, we’ll call around to see if we can rent another bus. If we can’t find one, we’ll rent whatever we can find, even if we have to take a bunch of vans.” 

 

“What about the trailer?” Ashlyn questions. 

 

“We’ll make sure to get something with a trailer hitch no matter what,” Becky responds. They all agree that they don’t want to leave anything on the bus as they likely won’t get it back once it’s repaired and they need the trailer full of equipment for their shows. 

 

Just as everyone is about to head back to bed, Ali stops Becky and Whitney to quickly ask them what’s going on, knowing that MTV will want to play up a situation like this for the documentary. 

 

“We’re broken down somewhere in the middle of Kansas,” Whitney explains. “We can’t call the other busses to come back and get us so we have to wait it out until morning to get any other type of rental to get to Denver then we’ll figure it out from there, I guess.”

 

“We have about four hours of waiting to do before rental places open so our first step is to go back to bed,” Becky says. 

 

Despite their need for sleep, both Whitney and Ashlyn have a hard time falling back asleep as they worry about getting to the venue on time. Luckily, they’ll gain an hour back as they move from central to mountain time, which eases their minds a little as they stay up and chat, relishing their quiet best friend time. 

 

“How’s Ryan?” Ashlyn questions, milk and cookies in front of her as they sit at the little kitchen table. 

 

“He’s good,” Whitney answers. “I miss him a lot and I can’t wait until we get to spend five nights in LA next month.” 

 

Ashlyn nods, remembering how important those few nights back home were when she was in a relationship like that. They have three shows in LA and will have a few days off during that stop too so everyone is looking forward to LA and being able to sleep in their own beds (well, almost everyone) before they head to Hawaii and South America. 

 

“I swear, one of these years we need to hire him for the tour; it would be so much fun with him here.”

 

Whitney smiles wistfully, wanting nothing more than to be able to have her boyfriend of three years on tour with them. “Well, we have until the next tour to convince him to quit his job and work for us,” she responds. “You’re lucky to have Ali on tour. How are things with her? I mean, other than the sickeningly cute faces you make at each other.”

 

“Things with Ali are great,” Ashlyn says, smiling. She pauses, popping the rest of her cookie into her mouth. “It doesn’t feel like it’s only been three months,” she muses. 

 

“Of course it doesn’t feel like three months--you’ve been dating since the day you met,” Whitney half jokes, eliciting an eye roll from her best friend. “Roll your eyes all you want but you know I’m right. I should’ve meddled sooner.”

 

“So you did put us in that top floor room on purpose? I knew it,” Ashlyn exclaims. 

 

“Of course I put you in that room on purpose. I was so sick of hearing you--both of you--piss and moan about how you thought your feelings were unrequited blah, blah, blah that I decided to put you in the only top floor room we were able to get, hoping that it would spark something. I tried to reason with you guys but you wouldn’t listen so I had to play hardball. You can thank me at your wedding.” She shrugs, taking a cookie from the sleeve and dunking it in her milk. 

 

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll pat yourself on the back enough for the three of us,” Ashlyn jokes, grinning. 

 

“Hey, someone’s gotta do it.” 

 

\---

 

In the morning, they’re luckily able to locate a (different) rental bus from a place about an hour from where they’re stranded on the freeway. Everyone packs their things as quickly as possible and combs over every square inch of the bus to make sure nothing is left behind when the new bus gets dropped off. After receiving an estimated time of arrival for the new bus, Whitney schedules a tow truck to pick up their current bus. 

 

All in all, the ordeal puts them over seven hours hours behind schedule. They still have a five hour drive ahead of them but they’ll make it to Denver with plenty of time to run a soundcheck and get ready for the show. 

 

“Should we just do same bunks as before?” Ashlyn asks Whitney as they step onto the bus. 

 

“Well,” Whitney begins, struggling to get her armful of belongings through the small door. “The layout it a little different--I could only find one with a room in the back. Trust me, you are more than welcome to sleep in a bunk and let me take the full sized bed.”

 

“I don’t think you have a choice, Ash,” Kelley says, poking her head out from her top bunk. “Ali already has her stuff in that room.”

 

“Shit, I would’ve started sleeping with you years ago if I thought I could ever get an actual bed one one of these godforsaken busses,” Pinoe says from the bunk right across from Kelley’s. 

 

“Yeah, Ash, are you interested in any sort of sister wives situation? We can all switch off who gets to sleep with you in that bed,” Kelley jokes, high fiving Pinoe across the aisle.

 

Ashlyn shakes her head, walking underneath Kelley and Pinoe’s high five. “I can’t take you guys anywhere.” 

 

Sure enough, Ashlyn finally makes it to the back to find Ali already trying to find the best place to store her two small suitcases (the larger ones are stored underneath the bus). “Great, there’s no room for me,” Ashlyn jokes, seeing Ali’s stuff already taking up the majority of the tight space. 

 

Ali hums, putting her pointer finger up to her chin as she thinks. “Maybe you should just take a bunk?” she offers. 

 

“Not a chance,” Ashlyn says, laughing. She takes her place on her side of the bed, mentally marvelling at how she and Ali are actually dating and have (mostly) set sides of the bed, neither of which she ever would’ve thought possible when they first met. Although it feels like they’ve been together much longer than three months, she’s still astonished by some of the little things--the things that differentiate their time as girlfriends from their time spend as friends. As Ali finally slips into bed next to her, she hopes that her excitement at loving and being loved by her will never go away. “So you sabotaged the other bus just so we could have our own room, huh?” she questions as Ali gets her pillow just right. 

 

“Man, I thought I could get away with it,” Ali responds, frowning as she plays along.

 

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone,” Ashlyn says. “Oh, thank god,” she exclaims as she feels the bus finally get moving, watching out the window beyond Ali’s shoulder as they merge back into traffic. 

 

The rest of the drive is mercifully uneventful, so everyone takes the opportunity to catch up on sleep they’d missed during the ordeal. They finally pull up to the arena five and a half hours later, so late that there’s already a smattering of fans tailgating in the parking lot out front.

“Wow, look who finally decided to show up,” Alex jokes as everyone comes outside to help unload the trailer. 

 

“Funny,” Ashlyn deadpans, gesturing for Alex to help her carry an amp inside. 

 

Soundcheck gets underway as soon as everything is loaded into the arena, everyone knowing that they don’t have time to mess around as the doors are set to open in just a few hours. There are a few sound issues to work out as the beginning of the soundcheck is marred by unbearable reverb that they can’t quite seem to get a handle on. It’s an incredibly stressful situation for everyone involved, especially those who had just spent the night stuck on the freeway and now feel rushed to get through soundcheck. Finally, at the very end of their allotted soundcheck time, Lauren is able to diagnose the problem and find sound settings that work for the venue. 

 

While Ashlyn and the rest of the band are getting ready for the show, Ali asks Lauren and Whitney for a short interview to discuss the day’s challenges. 

 

“There have been quite a few challenges today,” Ali begins. “Can you tell us what happened?”

 

“Well, first our bus broke down late last night. We couldn’t call the other busses back because they needed to get here so the stage could get put together in time. We ended up being about seven hours late after we had to wait for a rental place to open and send us a new bus. But we made it and that’s all that matters.”

 

“Has anything like that ever happened before?” Ali questions. 

 

Whitney shakes her head. “I mean, we’ve had to pull over because of bus problems before but we’ve never had something that couldn’t be easily fixed before. Then of course the one time it’s not an easy fix, it’s the middle of the night far away from civilization,” she explains. “But I think we handled it really well and at least we’ll know what to do if it happens again.”

 

“What happened with the sound today?” Ali asks, looking at Lauren. 

 

“There was a lot of reverb for the first  hour of soundcheck which was essentially the entire time since they got here so late. Every time I thought I had it fixed, it happened again but after a lot of trial and error, I think we finally found the right settings and I’m confident that everything will sound great tonight,” Lauren explains. 

 

“It’s been a pretty rough day,” Whitney begins, “I really hope everything else goes as smoothly as possible so I can relax backstage during the show.”

 

“Amen to that,” Ali says, shutting her camera down. “Thanks, ladies.”

 

\---

 

The stresses of the day finally hit Ashlyn as she’s getting ready for the show in her dressing room. She prides herself on being cool under pressure, knowing that the last thing anyone needs is for her to freak out in tense situations, so everything tends to hit her in quiet, alone moments. She’s sitting on her couch, eyes closed and head thrown back when Ali enters the room, foregoing a knock. 

 

“Hey,” Ali greets. “Do you need to be alone?” she questions. 

 

Ashlyn shakes her head. “No, no. I’m okay, today has just been a lot,” she explains as Ali takes a seat on the coffee table in front of the couch. 

 

Ali smiles softly, taking Ashlyn’s hand. “Well, if it’s of any comfort, I think you’ve handled everything so well.” 

 

“That does help. Thank you,” Ashlyn replies. “It’s all hitting me at once, I guess.” She pauses, collecting her thoughts. “Honestly, I don’t know how Whit does it sometimes. I mean, as much as everyone looks to me when there’s a problem, I know they’re looking to her too, you know? I had no idea what to do last night and then there’s Whitney and Becky coming up with a plan like they’ve been through that a hundred times.”

 

“We’re lucky to have them,” Ali says quietly. “But,” she begins, immediately more assertive, “all that is over and you’re going to go out there crush tonight, okay? We made it on time and the sound issues are fixed so you have nothing to worry about. And when you’re done, I’ll be just off stage waiting to tell you how amazing you are”.

 

Ashlyn smiles, leaning forward off of the couch to pull Ali into a hug. “You’re the best,” she says, instantly feeling more at ease and ready to put on a good show. It’s amazing, Ali’s ability to calm her down no matter what, which she knows is because Ali will be there to help her deal with whatever fallout comes her way. In every interaction, she can feel that Ali genuinely has her best interests in mind and she’s endlessly, indescribably grateful for Ali in every sense. She’s learned that hard way that some people are only interested in her status and money so she makes every effort to hold onto people who care about  _ her,  _ not just who she is or what she does. It’s why she prefers to keep the same band and crew from tour to tour, being the best boss she can be because she knows she can count on them and trust them to see some of her most intimate and intense moments and she’s determined to be the best girlfriend she can be in order to keep Ali around for as long as she lives. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Favorite parts? Predictions about what's to come? 
> 
> I might try to post a chapter per day until this is complete. Would you like that or would you prefer for me to spread them out more to make it last a little longer? Keep in mind that I'm really excited about the new story but I won't be posting that until this is finished ;)


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tour stops in LA. Ali and Ashlyn start talking about their future.

**October 5-9**

**LA**

 

Later summer seamlessly turns into early fall as the tour continues to make its way around the United States and Canada, finally stopping in LA for a few shows in early October. After LA, they’ll head to Hawaii for their last North American show before heading down to South America, where they’ll wrap the tour in Rio. Since almost everyone on tour lives in LA, there’s no need for a hotel and everyone heads their separate ways for their two days off. Ali plans to spend her first day in LA with Kyle while their second and final day off will be spent filming at Ashlyn’s cover shoot for Nylon Magazine. She’ll return to Kyle’s place after the shoot for more much-needed sibling bonding time but will spend her final three nights in the city at Ashlyn’s place.

 

“I’m so happy you’re here,” Kyle exclaims, enveloping Ali in a hug the second she walks in the door. 

 

“I’ve missed you,” Ali says as they rock side to side, holding each other tight. They haven’t seen each other since Kyle dropped Ali and Ashlyn off at the spa in Miami, so they’re in desperate need of some quality time together. “Hi, Luna,” Ali coos, breaking the hug and bending down to pet the excited dog. “Ohhh, you’re even cuter than I remember.”

 

“Thanks,” Kyle quips. 

 

Ali rolls her eyes as she stands back up. “I was talking to my niece.”

 

“Any compliment for Luna is a compliment for me,” Kyle says, helping Ali pull her two suitcases down to the guest room. He takes a seat on the bed as Ali gets some of her stuff situated. “So, how’s everything on tour?” he questions.

 

“Good,” Ali replies, digging through her suitcase for her bag of dirty laundry. “Crazy but good.”

 

Kyle toys with the string on the waistband of his cotton drawstring shorts. “How’s Ashlyn?” he asks. 

 

Ali smiles. “Really, really good,” she says dreamily, eliciting a laugh from Kyle. “What?” she asks, crossing her arms. 

 

“Nothing,” Kyle replies, smiling. “It’s just that I’ve never seen you so head over heels for someone before; it’s nice to see.”

 

“Oh,” Ali says, softening. “It’s because I’ve never been so head over heels for someone before.”

 

“Really?” Kyle prompts, although he knows it’s the truth. Sure, he’s seen Ali in love before--several times, in fact--but he has genuinely never seen her this happy and he knows it’s not just because the relationship is still relatively new, it’s because Ashlyn is the person she’s going to spend the rest of her life with. He doesn’t want to press her on this, not yet, but he listens as Ali talks about what a wonderful girlfriend Ashlyn is, even more wonderful than she imagined she would be. “Girl, you’ve got it bad,” he comments when she’s done. 

 

“I know,” Ali replies, burying her face in her hands. “I don’t know what’s happening to me.”

 

Kyle laughs, patting Ali on the back. “You’re madly in love, that’s what’s happening to you.”

 

Ali drops her hands and sighs, knowing he’s right. “Anyway, what about you?” she asks.

 

“Did I tell you about this guy I went out the other night?” he questions although he knows he was saving the story until Ali got to town. 

 

“No, tell me everything,” Ali replies, laying back on the bed and resting her hands behind her head for storytime.

 

Kyle spends the next hour telling Ali how he and Jesse, an actor, had met at a mutual friend’s party and exchanged numbers after hitting it off. They’d texted back and forth for about a week before Jesse asked Kyle on a date. It went well, really well, Kyle explains, and they’ve already made plans for next week. Ali listens intently, asking questions where necessary, and smiling at how happy Kyle seems. After all he’s been through, she knows there’s no one more deserving of happiness than him. 

 

“I’m so happy for you,” Ali says once Kyle is done talking. “You’ll have to call and tell me how the second date goes.” 

 

“Of course,” he responds, smiling. 

 

They spend most of the day and night catching up on everything they’ve missed, only leaving the house when Ali needs to run a few errands. Although they talk on the phone at least once a week, there’s no shortage of topics to discuss so they stay up well into the night, laughter ringing off the walls long after most people have gone to bed--just like they used to as children. This time, however, there are no parents around to tell them to keep it down or to warn them that they’ll be tired in the morning. They finally fall asleep after three am, Ali ensuring that her alarm for the next morning is set before heading down the hall to the guest room. 

 

In the morning, Ali meets Liz, Becky, Tobin, and Ashlyn at the Nylon offices. As soon as they arrive, they work with the Nylon photographers to find the best places to film so they won’t be in the way of the actual shoot. With the logistics figured out, the film crew starts rolling as the Nylon stylists bring out racks of clothes they’ve selected for the shoot. Some of the options fit Ashlyn’s style perfectly, the stylists plucking them off of the racks as soon as Ashlyn gives her approval. Other options are nixed immediately as Ashlyn and the stylists agree that certain pieces don’t fit her personal style or the look they ultimately want for their December cover.  After selecting outfits, the stylists and Ashlyn set to work on picking accessories and shoes--selecting chain necklaces, rings, watches, and hats to pair with the clothing. It’s a much more intensive process than Ali had ever imagined and she enjoys watching as Ashlyn and the stylists work together to develop the looks for the spread. 

 

With the outfits selected, Ashlyn slips into the first look, covering it with a robe as the hair and makeup team get to work. After three hours of preparation, everything is finally ready to go and Ashlyn takes her place in front of the camera. Ashlyn seems like a pro posing for the camera, expertly taking directions from both the photographer and the editor in chief as Ali watches through her viewfinder. 

 

Although it’s all very clinical and technical with the photographer directing Ashlyn exactly how to stand and what her expression should be, Ali finds herself feeling increasingly attracted to her smouldering girlfriend the longer the shoot goes on, wishing that they could be alone. Even when they break for a quick lunch, Ali is careful to maintain her distance to avoid suspicions about the nature of their relationship around a bunch of eager writers and photographers. So she and her crew chat quietly during lunch while Ashlyn talks to the Nylon people, commending the editor in chief for an awesome interview and photoshoot process so far. 

 

The shoot ultimately lasts over seven hours, wrapping up just before dinnertime. With the shoot completed, Ali pulls Ashlyn and the editor in chief aside to ask about the day. The editor explains that they wanted to work with Ashlyn because she’s the epitome of a Nylon girl: cool, a little edgy, and unapologetically herself while Ashlyn expresses that it’s a perfect partnership because of the magazine’s focus on fashion and music, her two favorite things. 

 

They finally head to their cars eight hours after they arrived, Ali and Ashlyn walking together, chatting about the shoot. 

 

“I wanted to jump you that whole time,” Ali notes casually as they take the elevator down to the ground floor. Liz, Becky, and Tobin left about five minutes before them so they’re alone and can talk freely. 

 

“Oh yeah?” Ashlyn asks, smirking. 

 

“I wanted to take all those outfits off of you right then and there,” she says, emphasizing her point with a chaste kiss on Ashlyn’s cheek, careful to avoid too much affection as someone could enter the elevator at any time. 

 

“Too bad you’re going back to Kyle’s tonight,” Ashlyn replies. “But I’m sure I can make it up to you tomorrow.”

 

“I’ll hold you to that,” Ali says as the elevator reaches the underground parking garage. Ever the considerate girlfriend, Ashlyn walks Ali to her car, watching as Ali climbs into the driver’s seat. 

 

“I love you,” Ashlyn says, resisting the urge to give Ali a goodbye kiss. 

 

“I love you too. Text me when you make it home, okay?” 

 

“Of course,” Ashlyn replies. “Have fun with Kyle,” she adds, gently closing Ali’s door for her before walking towards her own car. It’s been a little strange, not spending all day with Ali the last few days, and she looks forward to getting back into their groove when tour resumes the next night. 

 

\---

 

After the first show at the Staples Center--during which Ashlyn brought Taylor Swift on stage to sing “I Know Places”--Ali and Ashlyn head to Ashlyn’s house for a quiet night in. Ali’s never been to Ashlyn’s house before, so she’s amazed at how beautiful it is, not that she’d expect anything less. It’s massive, though it’s smaller than other homes in the neighborhood, and feels homey despite its size. The interior is simple and modern with dark hardwood floors, dark couches, and light cabinets in the kitchen. 

 

“Wow,” Ali starts, looking around Ashlyn’s massive living room, “this is beautiful, Ash”. 

 

Ashlyn smiles, taking Ali’s hand as she gives her a tour through the house. Unsurprisingly, there’s an entire home studio in one of the bedrooms which Ashlyn uses when she wants to record demos for her label. “And this,” Ashlyn begins, leading Ali down the hall to her room, “is my bedroom. She drops Ali’s hand to swing open the double doors, laughing as Ali’s jaw drops at the sight of her master suite. “You good?”

 

“This is incredible,” Ali breathes as they walk into the room. It has the same hardwood floors as the rest of the house, a California king sized bed, and modern furniture with a huge 60 inch flat screen TV mounted on the wall across from the bed. 

 

“I’m glad you like it, we might be spending a lot of time in here once tour’s over,” she says, taking a seat on her bed.

 

Ali follows quietly, sitting across from Ashlyn on the bed as they do when talk. “What are we going to do after tour?” Ali questions, nervously playing with the hair tie on her wrist. 

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I mean with the distance,” Ali clarifies. “You’ll be here and I’ll be in New York.”

 

Ashlyn pauses, thinking over Ali’s question. She’s imagined their immediate future unfolding in many different ways: moving to New York to be with Ali, Ali moving to LA, doing long distance, and sometimes even picturing a season two of the documentary with Ali coming to LA to film the songwriting and recording process (which is nowhere near interesting enough for a weekly series). In every scenario, they find a way to work things out because she can’t imagine not having Ali around, especially after everything they’ve been through thus far in their relationship. “It won’t matter what we do as long as I have you,” she replies. 

 

“Ash, we really need to talk about this,” Ali says. 

 

Ashlyn nods, sitting up straighter. “Well, one of us could move,” she proposes. 

 

“We could,” Ali agrees. “I would have to leave my job though.”

 

“I can do mine from anywhere.”

 

“But you love LA,” Ali counters. “You can’t surf in New York.”

 

Ashlyn laughs, conceding the point with a shrug of her shoulders. “That doesn’t mean I can’t move to New York for you.”

 

They’re quiet for a moment as they each mull things over. Their relationship has been on a unique course from the very beginning, having become incredibly close in a short amount of time while on the road. They were essentially living together before they officially started dating which makes all their timelines feel a little fuzzy. Other than their physical relationship, there’s very little distinction from the weeks and months before they started dating to their relationship now--everything blending together and making it feel as if they’ve been dating much longer than they actually have been. 

 

“Or we could just do long distance and see how things go,” Ashlyn muses. She pauses, considering her own suggestion. “The only thing is that it would be hard to go from one extreme to the other.”

 

“That would be difficult,” Ali agrees. “But I think it would be okay as long as we visit each other a lot.”

 

“Is that what you want to do, then?” Ashlyn questions.

 

Ali sighs, shrugging her shoulders. “I guess we can just see how we feel when we get back,” she says. “We don’t have to rush into anything, I just wanted to make sure we’re on the same page.”

 

“I think we’re on the same page in that we have no idea what page we’re on,” Ashlyn notes with a smirk. 

 

Ali laughs. “You’re not wrong.” 

 

They chat for a while, talking about the things Ali and Kyle had done during their time together before going into Ashlyn’s bedroom to get ready for bed, stripping off all their makeup and putting their hair up into messy ponytails. When they return to the bed, they sit across from each other again, Ali studying Ashlyn’s face for a few moments. “Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?” she asks softly, finally changing the subject. 

 

“Quite a few times, believe it or not,” Ashlyn responds, grinning. 

 

“Well I’m telling you again.” She leans forward, resting her hands on Ashlyn’s knees as she kisses her, long and slow. There have been many times in their still young relationship that Ali has felt like the luckiest woman in the world for getting to love and be loved by Ashlyn. The care that Ashlyn shows her is second to none and she’d never had a better birthday than the one they spent at the spa, Ashlyn knowing exactly what she needed to unwind. These moments, like the ones during her birthday weekend, the quiet moments ones when they’re both free of makeup and any sort of hair styling, are the most important to her. Ashlyn shares parts of herself with the entire world and Ali is incredibly grateful that she’s the one that gets to see all of her different, unfiltered layers. The kiss quickly becomes passionate but is cut short when Ali is overcome with emotion, a few errant tears rolling down her cheeks. 

 

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Ashlyn questions, looking concerned. “Did I bite you or something?”

 

Ali shakes her head, laughing as Ashlyn uses her thumbs to wipe her tears away. “Sorry, I don’t know why this is happening,” she says. 

 

“Are you sad?” Ashlyn asks, still not understanding where this is coming from. 

 

“Good tears, I promise,” Ali replies. She pauses, calming herself as she gathers her thoughts. “I love you so much,” she says, putting both hands on Ashlyn’s cheeks, pulling her back in.

 

“I love you too,” Ashlyn whispers, so close that her lips brush against Ali’s as she speaks. They pick up right where they left off, the emotional moment passing as quickly as it came. Ali swiftly removes all their clothes and pushes Ashlyn back down onto the bed, intent on drawing things out for as long as possible. She tortures Ashlyn, alternating between using her tongue and fingers to bring her towards the edge before pulling away at the last second, crawling back up her torso, taking one of her nipples in her mouth while using her hand to massage the other. 

 

“Alex, please,” Ashlyn breathes. She’s writhing under Ali, rubbing her thighs together, desperate for more friction as Ali continues to tease her. As much as Ali wants to continue drawing this out, she can’t ignore the desperation in Ashlyn’s voice so she decides to take pity on her, stroking her with one hand while she continues to suck on her nipples, the dual sensation driving Ashlyn over the edge almost instantly. “Wow,” Ashlyn sighs as she recovers from her orgasm, watching as Ali licks her fingers clean. 

 

Ali grins, clearly proud of her (literal) handiwork, as she finally lays down on the pillow next to Ashlyn. “I love being the one who gets to make you feel like that,” she says, twirling some of Ashlyn’s hair around her finger. 

 

“Well you are great at it,” Ashlyn replies, eyes becoming heavy as Ali continues to play with her hair. As much as she’d like to repay the favor to Ali, it’s been a long day and she can’t quite bring herself to move away from Ali’s gentle touch. “So sleepy,” she mumbles, eyelids fluttering as she struggles to keep them open. 

 

“Me too,” Ali agrees, curling up to Ashlyn’s side. She sighs contently when Ashlyn wraps her arm around her, pulling her in closer. 

 

\---

 

Ashlyn finally repays the favor to Ali the next morning, Ali’s naked body next to her too much to resist as she watches her sleep. She starts slowly, waking Ali up with a kiss, as she lazily traces her fingers up and down Ali’s torso. It’s just enough to wake Ali who wordlessly pulls Ashlyn on top of her which Ashlyn takes as permission to continue. She doesn’t rush--there’s no need to--and both relish their private time. Although they now have a room on the bus, it’s still hard to keep quiet sometimes and Ali’s unabashed, albeit soft, moans encourage Ashlyn to continue as she works Ali’s body. Their hair is mussed from sleep and neither has brushed their teeth, but those are the last things on their minds as Ali comes around Ashlyn’s fingers with a contented sigh. They soon make their way into Ashlyn’s massive shower, taking every opportunity they have to be intimate without nine other women around. 

 

They don’t leave Ashlyn’s house until they’re due at the arena for the night’s show. They’re among the last to arrive, though nobody seems surprised by that. 

 

“Wow, someone had a good night last night,” HAO comments as she takes in Ashlyn’s blissed out expression as they stand outside Ashlyn’s dressing room just about an hour before the show is set to begin. 

 

Ashlyn shrugs, knowing she can’t lie to Heather nor would she have any reason to. “Well, you know that Ali spent the last two nights before that at Kyle’s,” she says. 

 

“Right, right,” HAO replies, nodding. “And it’s hard to have sex on a moving bus, I’m guessing,” she adds, eliciting a laugh from Ashlyn.

 

“The movement is nice, actually. It’s more of the having nine roommates thing,” Ashlyn explains, gently elbowing HAO in the ribs. 

 

“Well, think of it as practice for when you have kids.” 

 

“Oh, god,” Ashlyn sighs. “Not for a long time.”

 

“But you didn’t deny that you want them with Ali,” Heather notes wisely, patting Ashlyn on the shoulder before walking towards one of the band’s dressing rooms. 

 

Ashlyn stands rooted in her spot after HAO leaves, considering her friend’s words. Truthfully, Ashlyn already imagines a future that includes having children with Ali. It’s soon, too soon to do anything other than imagine it, but it’s something she wants. They hadn’t spoken about it together yet but she knows from their many pre-relationship late night heart to hearts that Ali wants a large family, just like she does. Back then, they’d spoken about their wants for the future freely, unafraid of talking about their futures in abstract terms, but everything has taken on a new weight since they started dating. Any mention of kids implies  _ our  _ kids and although the thought makes them each feel giddy, it’s still daunting to think about so early in their relationship. 

 

Her thoughts are interrupted by Ali, ever present camera bag slung over her shoulder, bouncing off her hip slightly as she walks towards Ashlyn. “Hey, you,” Ali says, pecking Ashlyn on the cheek. 

 

“Hey,” Ashlyn greets, grinning. “Did you get some good footage of the hair and makeup process?”

 

Ali smiles, always appreciating Ashlyn’s interest in her work. “Yep,” she answers, following Ashlyn into her dressing room, watching as Ashlyn prepares for the show. 

 

The remaining Los Angeles shows are just as loud and energetic as the first. In the second show, Ashlyn has Haim come out to “The Wire” with her in lieu of a cover song during which Este Haim and HAO have an impromptu bass face competition, the Haim bassist ultimately coming out on top. Ali laughs backstage as she captures the whole thing, knowing that this will be great for the documentary (when it eventually airs, MTV starts the hashtag “ShowUsYourBassFace”, prompting millions of fans to tweet their best bass faces). 

 

There’s not enough time in LA, there’s not enough time anywhere, it seems, as they meet at the airport the morning after the third show, ready to head to Hawaii before finishing up the tour in South America. Tour is coming to an end very quickly and Ali finds herself dreading their goodbyes as they head towards the final leg of the tour.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting really close to the end now! Predictions about what's to come? Favorite parts?


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crew gets a little competitive at the stop in Hawaii. The tour moves to South America and they celebrate Ashlyn's birthday

**October 10 - October 19**

**Hawaii, Buenos Aires**

 

Just hours after landing in Hawaii, Ali receives a call. She slips out of her and Ashlyn’s hotel room, explaining that it’s important. Ashlyn assumes that it must be someone from MTV--Ali often prefers to take work calls in the hallway, pacing back and forth--but something about her face when she returns tells Ashlyn that it was something else entirely. 

 

“Who was that?” she questions as she rifles through her suitcase, searching for her bathing suit. 

 

“Oh,” Ali begins as if she hadn’t expected the question. “It was work.”

 

Ashlyn purses her lips, not convinced by Ali’s answer. She’d hesitated and Ashlyn knows that she would have no reason to hesitate if it actually was someone from MTV. “You look pretty happy for just getting off a work call,” she notes, finally locating her board shorts and bikini top. She slips out of her travel clothes effortlessly and smirks at Ali’s sharp intake of breath at her naked body. “Easy, tiger.”

 

“Sorry, couldn’t help it,” Ali admits, shrugging. She too begins to look for her bathing suit, locating it easily in her well organized suitcases. She’s tried to get Ashlyn to organize hers better before but Ashlyn can’t seem to be bothered so Ali doesn’t have much sympathy when she can’t find something. 

 

“You’re not off the hook that easy,” Ashlyn says as she slips into her bathing suit. “Who was that?”

 

Ali huffs. “I told you, it was work. They’ve been really happy with the documentary and they called to congratulate me. Nothing spectacular.”

 

They’re quiet for a few minutes as they get ready to meet everyone down at the beach. “It was for my birthday!” Ashlyn exclaims as she remembers that her birthday is coming up in just nine days. 

 

Ali scrunches her nose, smiling, and Ashlyn knows she’s figured it out. “Maybe,” Ali teases. 

 

Ashlyn feels vindicated as they slip their flip flops on and make their way out of their room. “Can I get a hint?” She asks when they enter the elevator. 

 

Ali rolls her eyes at Ashlyn’s attempt to pry. “Not a chance,” she says, pressing the button for the first floor. 

 

Ashlyn drops the issue, knowing that she’ll never get it out of Ali. Ali’s the type of person who sets her mind to something and accomplishes it so if she’s set her mind on keeping it a secret, which she clearly has, there’s no way Ashlyn will break her before her birthday. Besides, they’re soon surrounded by their friends and other beach goers at the hotel’s private beach so Ashlyn’s attention turns elsewhere. They’re not on the beach for long before someone decides to start a beach volleyball game. Ashlyn ends up on a team with Alex, Whitney, Tobin, Alyssa, and Pinoe while Ali’s team is comprised of Kelley, HAO, Moe, Becky, Syd, and Christen. 

 

Both teams are tenacious, fighting for every last point as if it’s an Olympic gold medal match. Ali and Christen are particularly fierce, often aiming the ball towards where their respective girlfriends are standing on the other side of the net, trying to get them to screw up. Ali manages to spike the ball just out of reach of Ashlyn’s outstretched hands a couple of times, Ashlyn grumbling about getting a mouthful of sand as she gets up each time. She’s not surprised that Ali is one of the best players, thinking back to when Ali told her that she used to play in high school, and deeply regrets ending up on the opposing team. She catches on to Ali quickly, however, Ali becoming frustrated by the fact that she can’t get anything by Ashlyn anymore. 

 

Ali’s team takes the first set while Ashlyn’s takes the second set, the teams heading into the third set tied at one game a piece. The final set is a hard fought, back and forth match between the two teams desperate to win bragging rights over their friends--and in Ashlyn and Tobin’s case, girlfriends. Near the end of the third det, Ashlyn makes an incredible diving save, sending the ball back up into the air which Alex easily hits over the net, just out of reach of Moe’s hands. As Ashlyn’s team takes control over the ball for match point, the ball passes back and forth over the net nearly a dozen times, seemingly hovering by itself. Finally, Alyssa makes a spectacular spike, scoring the winning point for Ashlyn’s team, everyone behind her immediately dogpiling on top of her in the sand. 

 

“Silent assassin strikes again,” Pinoe cheers, foregoing celebrating with her team to rub it in everyone else’s faces. 

 

“Good game,” Ashlyn says, hugging Ali after extracting herself from the tangle of bodies. 

 

“Thanks,” Ali mumbles, crossing her arms once they’ve broken apart. 

 

Ashlyn stifles a laugh at her pouting girlfriend, knowing that she’s likely to spend the night sleeping in the hallway if she laughs or gloats too much. “You don’t like losing,” she notes. 

 

“Why would anyone like losing?” Ali exclaims, incredulous at the statement. “Of course I don’t like losing.”

 

“You’re cute; I love you a lot,” Ashlyn says. “How about I make it up to you later?”

 

Ali smiles, uncrossing her arms. “You better,” she replies, mood already drastically improved. She smiles, patting Ashlyn on the shoulder. “Great game,” she says, voice cheerful.

 

“You just played me like a fiddle,” Ashlyn gasps, catching onto Ali’s ruse. 

 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Ali says, smirking as she walks towards the ocean. 

 

Ashlyn watches as Ali saunters towards the water, wading waist deep before leaning back and getting her hair wet. Ashlyn groans, unable to take her eyes off of her girlfriend as she shows off a little, the smirk on her face clear evidence that she knows exactly what she’s doing. 

 

After everyone recovers from the intensity of the volleyball match, the losing team decides to call for a rematch in the form of a beach soccer game which the winning team, still cocky from their win, gladly accepts. Since they’re waiting for grilled burgers and hotdogs to be ready, they decide to only play a ten minute match, way too hungry to play for much longer than that.

 

If Ashlyn thought Ali was intense about volleyball, there’s no words to describe the look on her girlfriend’s face during the soccer game. Part of it, Ashlyn guesses, is that she had volunteered to be the goalkeeper for her team and Ali seems determined to get the ball passed her. In fact, Ali’s entire team seems determined to get the ball to Ali so she can get it by her. Even Christen, who Ashlyn knows played as a forward in high school, seems to want to get Ali the ball as much as possible. Ashlyn’s up to the challenge most of the game, fearlessly diving into the sand to save whatever Ali sends her way but towards the end of the game, HAO passes the ball to Ali  who fakes one way and sends the ball the other, sending the ball through what would be the upper corner of the net. Ashlyn argues, of course, saying that the ball was too high but Julie and Crystal, the appointed refs, agree that the ball definitely wasn’t too high and award Ali the goal. 

 

“Eat it, loser,” Ali exclaims, pointing right at Ashlyn as she jumps into HAO’s arms to celebrate the goal.

 

Ashlyn rolls her eyes, annoyed at the goal and tries to encourage her team to get the equalizer before dinner is ready. They make a good run of it, coming close to scoring a few times but Ali’s team, captained by Becky, meets them step for step and prevents them from tying the score. When it’s all over, everyone congratulates Ali on the game winning goal while Ashlyn hangs back, waiting for Ali to come to her. 

 

“Good game,” Ali says, pulling Ashlyn into a hug. 

 

“I can’t believe you scored on me,” Ashlyn grumbles, leaning her head against Ali’s shoulder as she mopes. 

 

“I can’t believe it took me that long to score on you,” Ali replies. “Are you sure you never played before?”

 

“Positive,” Ashlyn replies. 

 

“Don’t worry, I’ll make it up to you,” Ali promises, resisting the urge to kiss Ashlyn. Although the beach is private to the hotel, there are still a bunch of hotel guests all around them so she knows it has to wait until they get back to their room. 

 

\---

 

Hawaii easily becomes a favorite tour stop for nearly everyone in the band and crew. It’s the first time Ashlyn’s tour has visited the state but certainly won’t be the last, which Ashlyn says to a raucous applause on stage at the concert the next night. Towards the end of the night, she brings Hawaii native Jack Johnson on stage to play a few of his songs, much to the delight of the crowd. The mini set makes the show go on a little longer than normal but the fans seem to enjoy seeing one of their own on stage and the band isn’t too concerned about going a little late as they have a final day off the next day before they have to fly down to South America for the final leg of the tour. 

 

After their day off in Hawaii, they don’t have another day off from playing or traveling until Ashlyn’s birthday in Buenos Aires. Since it’s their first day off in over a week, she decides that she doesn’t want to do anything spectacular, instead choosing to spend most of the day shopping and relaxing with Ali before meeting up with the rest of the band and crew at a restaurant for her birthday dinner. 

 

The morning of her birthday is spent in bed with Ali, both whispering sweet nothings as they have lazy morning sex to start out the day--Ashlyn using the leverage of her birthday to prevent Ali from teasing her for too long before she gets to come. After a significantly more fervent shower session, they decide to head to an outdoor market they’d spotted on the way to the hotel the day before. 

 

They explore the market for hours, picking up dozens of trinkets for themselves and their families back home, loving the stories behind the handmade objects. At a jewelry vendor, they pick out matching silver necklaces which Ashlyn argues will help them feel close even as the tour ends and they return to opposite coasts. Ali smiles at the idea, offering to purchase both necklaces for Ashlyn’s birthday. After meandering around the market all afternoon, they head back to the hotel, dropping off their new purchases and getting ready for Ashlyn’s birthday dinner. 

 

The longer the day goes on without Ali giving Ashlyn a birthday present, the more Ashlyn begins to wonder what in the world it could be. Ali keeps mentioning how much she’s going to love her gift but refuses to give any hints (even after Ashlyn playfully threatens to withhold sex) and doesn’t seem to be in a rush to give it to her, despite her excitement and assurance that Ashlyn will love it. 

 

“Alex, please,” Ashlyn whines after Ali’s third time mentioning how cool the gift is. 

 

“Later.”

 

“Are you bringing it to dinner?” Ashlyn questions.

 

“Nope. You’ll get it after we get back,” Ali promises, swiping red lipstick across her lips. “Trust me.”

 

Ashlyn groans but drops the topic nonetheless, instead complimenting Ali on how beautiful she looks in her flowing knee length black dress and red lipstick. 

 

The restaurant is only a block from the hotel, so everyone meets in the lobby to walk as a group instead of calling a bunch of cabs. They have the entire restaurant rented out for Ashlyn’s birthday so things get pretty raucous as everyone lets loose without worrying about other patrons or fans who might try to sneak pictures. 

 

As Ashlyn blows out the candles on her cake, she’s not even sure what to wish for. She feels so complete, getting to do what she loves for a living and traveling the world with her best friends and girlfriend. She’s in love, she has good people in her life, and she has more money than she even knows what to do with--often making large donations to charity just because she feels like it. There really aren’t any material things she can wish for but when she looks at Ali smiling at her, she knows what her wish should be. As is her personal tradition, she repeats her wish in her head three times before blowing out the candles, everyone cheering. 

 

“What’d you wish for?” Ali asks quietly as they dig into the cake, passing out slices to everyone who wants one. 

 

“You,” Ashlyn replies with a dimpled smile. 

 

“You already have me.”

 

“Well then it already came true,” Ashlyn cheeses, putting her arm around Ali’s shoulder, pressing a kiss to her forehead. 

 

They don’t return to the hotel until close to midnight, having spent the entire evening celebrating Ashlyn’s birthday with the crew. Even once they’re back at the hotel, they have a hard time getting back to their room as almost everyone is drunk and takes forever to say goodnight to them, Syd even drunkenly suggesting that they have a girl’s night before Dom (who is still rather sober) guides her back to their own room, gently telling her that they can do it another time. When they finally get back to their room, Ali instructs Ashlyn to sit on the edge of the bed as she rummages to the bottom of one of her suitcases, pulling out a wrapped box. 

 

“Ohhh, gimme,” Ashlyn says like an excited five year old, reaching for the box. 

 

“I hope you like it, I didn’t know what to get you,” Ali prefaces as she hands the box over.

 

The box is light, much lighter than Ashlyn anticipated, and she eagerly tears into the paper to find out what’s inside. She’s silent for a few seconds as she opens the box, finding a piece of paper under all the tissue. She reads for a moment, taking in the implications of the words printed in front of her. 

 

“Alex?” she asks softly. “Is this--”

 

“An offer letter for the Documentary Group in LA?” Ali finishes. “I start in January.”

 

“Oh my god,” Ashlyn exclaims, putting her hand to her mouth. “You’re moving to LA.”

 

“I am,” Ali confirms. 

 

“We won’t have to live on opposite sides of the country,” Ashlyn says.

 

“Nope,” Ali replies, grinning at Ashlyn’s surprised yet ecstatic reaction. She tells Ashlyn about how the whole thing came about. The president of the company had watched the tour documentary with his teenage daughters and was impressed by the quality of the filmmaking. He’d contacted Ali a few weeks ago, asking what her plans were beyond MTV. Ali expressed that she would ultimately like to move on from the channel so they agreed to set up and interview when the tour stopped in LA, somehow managing to fit it into both of their busy schedules. The interview went really well, and Ali was offered a position with them just a few days later, receiving the call at the hotel in Hawaii (and later, the official offer letter via the hotel’s fax machine). She’d wanted to tell Ashlyn then and there, she explains, but when she had asked if the call was about her birthday, she knew it would make a great birthday surprise. 

 

“So technically, it was a work call,” Ashlyn notes. 

 

Ali laughs, thinking back to their conversation. “I didn’t lie to you, I just never said  _ which  _ work was calling.”

 

“Where are you going to live? You can live with me,” Ashlyn offers.

 

“Shhh,” Ali says, putting her finger to Ashlyn’s lips. “We can worry about the logistics later, okay? Besides, you still haven’t unwrapped your other present yet.”

 

Ashlyn quirks an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? And what would that be?” Ali motions for Ashlyn to help take off her dress. Ashlyn happily complies, slipping the fabric over Ali’s head to reveal a red neglige and thong underneath Ali’s clothes. “Jesus, Alex,” she breathes, taking in the sight. The entire thing is see through red mesh with black lace, leaving nothing to the imagination (not that Ashlyn needs to use her imagination anymore). Ali promptly sits on her lap, wrapping her arms around Ashlyn’s neck and begins to grind. 

 

Ashlyn reaches to take off the lingerie but Ali gently swats her hand away. “I paid way too much for this for it to end up on the floor after two seconds. It’s not coming off until I make you come so hard you forget both of our names.”

 

Ashlyn gulps. “If you make me come that hard, there’s no way I’ll forget your name. Besides, who’s to say I won’t come after two seconds anyway?”

 

“I’ll make sure you won’t,” Ali teases. She’s never worn lingerie for Ashlyn before and her reaction was more than she could have ever hoped for. She hadn’t packed any for the first leg of the tour, not anticipating that she would fall madly in love with the musician and certainly not expecting that her feelings would be reciprocated. Even when they’d stayed at her place in New York, she’d had nothing to wear, having thrown everything away after she and Jeff broke up, unwilling to wear anything so tainted by memories of her ex with future partners. She'd picked this little number (plus a few others that she'll reveal to Ashlyn in due time) at a store in LA in anticipation of Ashlyn’s birthday, ultimately deciding to wear the red one tonight because she knows how much Ashlyn loves her in red. She stops moving as Ashlyn reaching back on the bed for her phone, their favorite sex playlist coming from the speakers a few seconds later. 

 

"You are so fucking sexy, I can't believe you're mine," Ashlyn husks, sitting back up and kissing Ali's neck as Ali begins to move her hips again. 

 

"The feeling is mutual," Ali says, gently cupping Ashlyn’s cheek. She continues to grind so Ashlyn puts her hands on her hips, moaning as her senses go into overdrive. 

 

Ashlyn is desperate to touch Ali, to taste her, but she knows she's not the one in control of the situation so she focuses on Ali’s movements, trying to burn this moment into her memory. Ali teases Ashlyn for what feels like days to the musician but in actuality is only about forty five minutes before she finally gives Ashlyn that final stroke of her tongue, pushing her over the edge. As it turns out, Ashlyn almost does forget both of their names as she comes harder than she's ever come before, pleasure the only thing on her mind. It takes her a few minutes to fully recover as she catches her breath and waits for her heartrate to return to normal. As soon as she can move, she’s on top of Ali, pinning her down by her wrists. 

 

“Ash, please,” Ali whines as Ashlyn teases her. 

 

“After how long you teased me, you’ll be lucky if I let you come before Christmas.”

 

This time, it’s Ali who tries to untie the neglige, but Ashlyn won’t allow it. Afterall, it’s part of her birthday present and she wants to get as much use out of it as possible before it’s discarded on the floor. By the time Ali comes, loud moans filling the room, it’s well after two in the morning and both women are far too spent to even consider a second round. Instead, Ali finally removes the little red number as they get ready for bed, finally curling up next to each other. 

 

“Happy birthday, baby,” Ali whispers sleepily, snuggled into Ashlyn’s side. “Did you have a good one?”

 

“Best one yet,” Ashlyn replies, running a hand through Ali’s silky hair. “I think this is gonna be a great year.”

 

“Oh yeah?” Ali questions, knowing she’s at least part of the reason for Ashlyn’s excitement. 

 

“Yep,” Ashlyn says as she kisses Ali’s forehead. “My beautiful, smart, funny, and sexy girlfriend is moving to LA in January and we both get to do what we love for a living. Maybe we’ll even get a dog.”

 

“Easy, tiger,” Ali says, chuckling.

 

“What you think we should get a tiger instead?” Ashlyn quips. 

 

“I hate you,” Ali lies, tilting her head up, kissing Ashlyn softly. 

 

“You love me.”

 

“I do,” Ali agrees. “I love sleep too,” she mumbles, eyes becoming heavy as she rests her head against Ashlyn’s chest. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Penultimate chapter before the epilogue :( 
> 
> Favorite parts? Predictions as the tour comes to a close next chapter?


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tour comes to a close and everyone says their goodbyes

**October 27 - October 30**

**Rio de Janeiro**

 

The last week of tour seems to arrive suddenly, everyone attempting to soak up the last few days of their journey. After playing two nights in São Paulo, the tour heads to Rio for the final stop. Although they’ve spent the last nine months together, no one feels quite ready to say goodbye as they prepare for the final two shows. It’s a little dramatic, the way everyone clings to each other, considering the majority of the crew lives in LA full time and can see each other any time they want. It’s different though, they tell the tour rookies, because it’s harder to find time together and even monthly meetups can’t replicate the closeness everyone experiences on tour.

 

As difficult as it is, everyone tries to focus on making the last two shows the best ones yet, instead of dwelling on their impending goodbyes. The night before the first show in Rio, they have the traditional end of tour dinner, everyone dressing to the nines for the celebratory dinner.

 

“Holy shit,” Ashlyn whistles when Ali comes out of the bathroom in her floor length red dress. “I changed my mind, we’re just gonna stay here,” she says, eliciting a laugh from Ali.

 

“You’re not so bad yourself,” Ali replies, smoothing the shoulders of Ashlyn’s suit with her hands. She stands on her toes, wrapping her arms around Ashlyn’s neck, pulling her in for a kiss.

 

“I love you,” Ashlyn whispers once they’ve broken apart. Her hands are resting on Ali’s waist and their foreheads are touching.

 

“I love you too,” Ali whispers back. She pulls back a little, looking Ashlyn in the eyes. “Who would’ve thought this was where we’d be by the end of the tour?”

 

Ashlyn shrugs. “I was hopeful,” she admits.

 

“When did you know that you had feelings for me?” Ali questions gently, straightening Ashlyn’s bowtie.

 

“Oh, gosh, the first day we met,” Ashlyn answers, only half joking. “I didn’t admit it to myself until Australia though.”

 

“I knew that first dinner we had together,” Ali admits.

 

“Is that why you wouldn’t talk to me for a week?”

 

Ali nods, thinking back to the awful week that followed their dinner. “I was scared that I was getting too close too quickly and that you wouldn’t feel the same way. I guess I thought it would be easier to just pull back.”

 

Ashlyn pulls Ali close, breathing in the scent of her shampoo. There are so many things she could say--I love you; you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me; of course I felt the same way, didn’t you see the way I looked at you--but none of them seem adequate in the moment. Instead, she holds Ali tight, wordlessly conveying everything that words can’t. The moment passes quickly as Ashlyn’s phone vibrates in her pocket with a text from Whitney that everyone else is already downstairs.

 

As soon as they get their drinks at the restaurant, Ashlyn stands up, getting everyone’s attention. “This has been the best tour of my career so far and I just wanted to thank each and every one of you for making it so successful and so memorable. I hope you’ll all join me on the next tour in a few years. When I first got the call from MTV about doing a documentary series, I knew it was a great idea right away and I am so, so glad that I signed on because it’s brought so many wonderful people into our lives. If any of you ever need a job, you can call me and I will absolutely find a place for you. Now let’s enjoy these last few days together. Cheers,” she finishes, sitting down and holding her glass out in front of her. Everyone raises their glasses in response, taking a drink before chatter resumes, laughter already filling the restaurant.

 

They spend the entire evening reminiscing about favorite tour memories. JJ tells everyone about the time Moe left her entire box of macaroons at the hotel in Paris and was near tears by the time they got to the airport, begging to go back to get them, not calming down until she spotted a stand at the airport.

 

Ali recounts the stop in New Zealand where Arod found out she was pregnant. They were sharing a room together and early one morning, Ali heard Amy whispering ‘oh my god’ over and over again. Thinking that she was having skype sex with her husband, Ali was about to leave the room when Amy swung open the door holding a positive pregnancy test. Ali had never been so relieved to be faced with something that had been peed on--thrilled that she hadn’t heard her and her husband having phone sex.

 

“You’re lucky,” HAO says after Ali’s done speaking. “I did hear someone having phone sex.”

 

“I thought you were sleeping,” Pinoe exclaims, throwing her hands up in the air as she defends herself.

 

“At least you didn’t walk in on Tobin and Christen,” Ali counters.

 

“I totally did,” HAO replies, laughing at the guilty looks on Tobin and Christen’s faces. “At least I never walked in on you and Ash.”

 

“I did,” Kelley claims, shuddering.

 

“No you didn’t,” Ashlyn responds.

 

“Yes I did,” Kelley asserts. “On the first tour bus; I couldn’t sleep so I went to the back to watch TV. When I opened the door, I saw you two having sex.” She pauses, taking a drink. “Nice hip tattoo, Ali.”

 

“Thanks,” Ali responds, smiling. “I got sexiled by Liz for the first time since college.”

 

“And you went running right for Ashlyn,” Liz says, laughing.

 

“Worked out well for me, didn't it?” Ali replies, gently squeezing Ashlyn’s hand.

 

“Oh my god,” Syd gasps from across the table. “Ali, remember that time in Madrid when that guy in the club was bugging you so much that Ashlyn convinced him that you were this international supermodel and set her body guards after him?”

 

“Hey, I couldn’t exactly announce to that whole club that we’re dating. It seemed like the best way to get rid of him,” Ashlyn explains.

 

“The most flattering part was that he totally fell for it,” Ali says, laughing.

 

“Duh, of course he believed it,” HAO interjects.

 

“Wait, how many people had sex on an airplane this tour?” Liz asks, pointedly looking at Ali and Ashlyn who reluctantly raise their hands, along with Kelley.

 

No one is surprised by Kelley so most of the attention turns to Ali and Ashlyn, both of whom are blushing at the memory.

 

“It was on the way back from my birthday; Ash rented us a private plane. What else were we supposed to do?” Ali defends as everyone waits for them to explain. They’re all satisfied with this explanation, many nodding in response as if to say they would’ve done the same thing.

 

They continue talking about other funny moments from tour for hours as they eat and drink, celebrating each other as much as they’re celebrating the end of another successful tour.

 

“That was so much fun,” Ali exclaims as they enter their hotel room later that evening, Ashlyn following behind her.

 

“It was,” Ashlyn agrees as she begins to shed her suit, searching for her shorts and t shirt to sleep in. “Have you thought more about my offer?” she asks casually, slipping into her shorts.

 

“Ash,” Ali whines.

 

“We need to talk about this, Alex, you can’t keep avoiding it,” Ashlyn pressures. She’d mentioned several times that she’d like Ali to move in with her in LA but Ali had deflected every time, often distracting Ashlyn with sex. “Do you not want to live with me or something?” she questions gently, sitting down on the bed.

 

“It’s not that I don’t want to live with you,” Ali begins, slipping into her own pajamas. “It’s just that--”

 

“You can say you don’t want to live with me,” Ashlyn comments, instantly defensive.

 

“Ashlyn,” Ali says firmly. “I just think that’s a really, _really_ big step.”

 

“We’ve been living together this whole tour, how would that be any different?” She questions. Truthfully, she’d initially offered for Ali to move in to be helpful so Ali wouldn’t have to search for a place to live. The more she thought about it, however, the more she realized that she wants nothing more than to come home to Ali every night, as she’s done since they started dating.

 

“It’s really different,” Ali asserts. “We’ve been in this weird microcosm on tour this whole time. Living together is still a huge step.”

 

“Don’t you think not living together would be a huge step backwards?” Ashlyn asks.

 

Ali sighs, wishing more than anything that they weren’t having this conversation after such a fun night out. All night, she’d looked forward to returning to the hotel, slowly undressing one another, and having sex until they were too spent to move. Instead, they’re on the verge of what could turn into a massive argument if they’re not careful. “I’m already moving to LA, that’s a pretty damn big step if you ask me,” Ali counters. “Besides, you didn’t seem to mind the thought of not living together if we were on opposite sides of the country, won’t living in the same city be enough?”

 

“Of course it’ll be enough, you’ll always be enough,” Ashlyn says softly. “But,” she begins, her voice firmer, “I still think it’s a step back. We’ve spent a whopping two nights apart since we started dating. Hell, even on the first tour bus, we usually ended up on the back couches together because we couldn’t sleep. How is that going to work if we’re living in the same city but not together?”

 

“It’s not like we’ll never spend the night together, Ash.” Ali finally sits on the bed, facing Ashlyn. “Look,” she begins, “part of the fun of new relationships is like surprising the other by coming over unannounced or sending flowers just because or you running over to my place in the middle of the night because I’m sick and you want to take care of me only for you to end up sick a few days later.” She pauses, taking a breath. “You’re right, we have lived together this whole time, and doesn’t that make you feel like we’ve missed out on some of the relationship fundamentals? We’ve never had to work through complicated schedules just to spend some time together or argue about who’s place we’re going to stay at that night, you know? We’ve never made dinner for the other only to get carried away and burn everything or end up staying the night because we passed out during a movie or after sex without a change of clothes for the morning even though we both _knew_ that was gonna happen. We have our whole lives ahead of us to be the old married couple that all our friends complain about but the beginning of relationships is so special and finite and I really think we should embrace it.”

 

Ashlyn is quiet for a minute, mulling over Ali’s words. “I get that, I really do, but I want to wake up with you in my arms every single morning and make you coffee in the morning and come home to you after a long day in the studio and catch up on all our shows on the DVR,” she explains, taking Ali’s hand. “God, I spent so long hoping that we would end up together and now that we are, I want to keep moving forward.”

 

Ali sighs, feeling like they’re talking in circles at this point. “I’m not saying we’re never gonna live together, I’m talking about me getting a short term lease, preferably less than a year. I just think that we’ll be missing out if we skip over all those little things like having a drawer at the other’s place or taking thirty minutes to kiss goodnight on the doorstep.”

 

“We’re going to need much more than one drawer each, you know we have too many clothes,” Ashlyn says, smiling. Her face has softened significantly and Ali feels like she’s gotten through to her.

 

“Fine, two drawers each.”

 

“That does sound kind of fun,” Ashlyn admits. “Except the part where I catch your cold.”

 

“You know it’s gonna happen at some point,” Ali says, shrugging. She moves closer to Ashlyn, putting her hands on her knees. “Listen, I plan on us living together for so long that you’ll get sick of my face being the first thing you see every morning--”

 

“That could never happen,” Ashlyn assures, interrupting Ali’s train of thought.

 

“Won’t know unless we try,” Ali responds, grinning. “But I think having a little bit of those normal new couple things will make us stronger in the end. Besides, even living in the same city will feel like a luxury after I tie up some loose ends in New York for the next few months.”

 

“I guess you’re right,” Ashlyn concedes.

 

“Oh my god, can I get that on camera?” Ali exclaims.

 

Ashlyn rolls her eyes dramatically. “Ugh, I take it back,” Ashlyn groans. “Not forever though, right?” She verifies.

 

“Oh, god, no,” Ali scoffs. “Trust me, I can’t wait to live together either but I also want to be a normal new couple, at least for a little while.”

 

“Okay,” Ashlyn finally agrees, pulling Ali in for a hug. “But you have to find somewhere less than twenty minutes away from me, especially if I have to run over in the middle of the night to take care of you.”

 

“I think we can work with that,” Ali promises, kissing Ashlyn’s cheek.

 

Ashlyn lays back on the pillows, putting her hands behind her head. “I can’t believe tour is almost over.”

 

“I know,” Ali replies quietly, settling onto her side, facing Ashlyn. “Are you sad?”

 

Ashlyn nods. “I’m always sad when tour ends. It’s weird because I should be excited to go home and relax but, I don’t know, part of me feels like tour is my home. I mean, I get to be surrounded by the people I love while doing what I love and there’s nothing that really compares to that.”

 

“You know,” Ali begins, gently tracing Ashlyn’s tattoos with her finger, “your passion for what you do and your kindness were the things that made me fall in love with you so quickly”.

 

“Oh yeah?” Ashlyn questions, turning her head to look into Ali’s eyes. “I would’ve thought it was my good looks,” she adds, eliciting an eye roll from Ali.

 

“Speaking of, did Liz actually try to sleep with you before we started dating?”

 

“No less than five times,” Ashlyn admits, laughing. “But don’t worry, I always turned her down,” she adds quickly.

 

“My girlfriend the panty dropper,” Ali comments.

 

Ashlyn laughs, grabbing Ali’s hand and bringing it to her lips, kissing it gently. “The only panties I’m interested in dropping are yours,” she whispers suggestively.

 

“Well you better get to work soon then if we have to be up at ten for load in tomorrow.”

 

“Not gonna be a problem,” Ashlyn promises, climbing on top of Ali, using her body to pin Ali down. “I saw the way you were looking at me all night.”

 

“And how was that?” Ali asks innocently.

 

“Like you would’ve taken me in the bathroom if you had the chance.”

 

“Ohhhh, right, that look. Yeah, I totally would’ve,” Ali admits.

 

Ashlyn starts peppering her neck with kisses, pausing to suck the space behind Ali’s ear, knowing that drives her wild. Her actions have the desired effect as Ali begins to moan quietly. She doesn’t tease her for long, not this time, not when they’re painfully aware of the clock ticking down, of their limited amount of time left together before Ali returns to New York for a few months. Instead, she gives Ali what she wants quickly, and then again, before collapsing on the bed next to her sated, panting girlfriend.

 

“God, you’re good at that,” Ali compliments, smiling blissfully.

 

“Well you give pretty good instructions,” Ashlyn quips. In the months before they’d started dating, she’d imagined what it would be like to give Ali this kind of pleasure, always suspecting that the brunette wouldn’t be shy in bed. Unsurprisingly, Ali has exceeded even her wildest daydreams in every way possible, both in and out of the bedroom.

 

“I know what I want,” Ali responds casually. Finally recovered enough to move, she swings her leg over Ashlyn’s hip, straddling her. “You have too many clothes on,” she comments, moving to pull Ashlyn’s underwear down her legs (everything else had been shed earlier).

 

“Hurry,” Ashlyn begs as Ali kisses her way up her legs, moving tantalizingly slow.

 

“If you insist,” Ali replies, shocking Ashlyn as she immediately and forcefully begins stroking her.

 

Ashlyn comes quickly, having been incredibly worked up after pleasuring Ali. She too takes a while to recover, watching from her place in bed as Ali saunters to the bathroom,  completely naked. “Have I ever told you how hot you are?” she questions when Ali slips back into bed.

 

“Many times, yes. But it never hurts to hear it again,” Ali replies as she curls up next to Ashlyn. “You’re pretty damn hot too,” she adds.

 

“A match made in heaven,” Ashlyn comments, pulling Ali close.

 

They continue talking for a while longer, eyes becoming heavier the longer they try to stay awake. They don’t want to go to sleep, to face the penultimate day of tour, so they stay up as long as possible, enjoying every possible second.

 

\---

 

The last two shows are some of the most emotional yet. Ashlyn thanks her fans profusely, standing on stage on the final night of the tour, and expresses how grateful she is to be in the position she is and how none of it would be possible without their continuing support.

 

Sunday morning arrives suddenly, everyone feeling an odd sense of emptiness as they get their stuff ready for the airport. Luckily (or unluckily, depending on who you ask), everyone has the same flight back to the United States where they’ll stop in Atlanta as everyone heads their different ways. As happy as Ali is to get more time with Ashlyn and everyone else, it’s almost harder, the knowledge that they’ll have to say goodbye in an airport. It would almost be easier if they got to say goodbye at the hotel before heading in their own directions instead of prolonging the inevitable. That way, they wouldn’t have to sit on the plane knowing that they’ll have to say their goodbyes as soon as they land. She’s made some good friends on this tour, ones that she hopes she’ll keep for the rest of her life, so the other part of her is thankful for every additional second she gets to spend with them. She says goodbye to Kelley and Moe first, both of whom are staying in Georgia with family for a few days.

 

“Take care of my boss, will ya?” Kelley requests, pulling Ali in for a hug.

 

“Of course,” Ali promises. “Let me know if you decide to meet up with that redhead in New York, I’d love to get brunch or something.”

 

“You got it,” Kelley says as others come up to say their goodbyes.

 

Ali says goodbye to Moe next, taking one last opportunity to poke fun at her monkey neck pillow, still treating her as the unofficial little sister of the tour. Next to leave is Pinoe, who has to catch her flight to Seattle.

 

“Peens,” Ali exclaims, hugging her tight. “Thanks for all the laughs.”

 

“Anytime,” Pinoe replies, winking.

 

By the time Ali hears the boarding announcement for her flight to New York, she’s too emotionally spent to hold in her tears any longer. She finally breaks down when she hugs Whitney, thinking back to everything the woman had done to get her and Ashlyn together.

 

“I don’t even know what to say,” Ali comments, wiping tears from her eyes. “I just… thank you. For everything.”

 

“No one deserves her more than you do,” Whitney notes, figuring out exactly what Ali was getting at. “I’ll make sure she stays out of trouble until you get to town, okay?”

 

Ali nods, dreading that final goodbye. True to form, HAO makes Ali laugh harder than she ever would’ve thought possible given the situation. Beyond being an excellent friend, HAO holds a special place in Ali’s heart as the first person (besides Ashlyn) that Ali met from the tour. She’d been one of the most welcoming, never making Ali and her crew feel any different from anyone else on tour.

 

Finally, it comes time for Ali to say goodbye to Ashlyn and she fully gives up on trying to hold herself together. It’s early, not yet six in the morning, so the rest of the airport is largely empty as Ashlyn gently leads Ali to a more secluded corner for a semi-private goodbye.

 

“I hate this,” Ali says.

 

“Me too,” Ashlyn replies, tears rolling down her own cheeks. “But it’s just a few months, right? I’ll see you for Thanksgiving and then again for New Year’s and before you know it, you’ll be packing for LA a year after you packed the first time. And I’ll be waiting for you, just like I was waiting for you in the coffee shop that day. But this time? This time I’ll get to greet you with a kiss and the best sex of your life.”

 

Ali laughs, using the sleeve of her shirt to dab tears away from her eyes. “Can you greet me with coffee this time too? Just like the first time?”

 

“Of course,” Ashlyn promises. Another boarding announcement comes over the speakers and both women groan, knowing their time is up. “I love you and I’d kiss you if we weren’t in the middle of an airport.”

 

“I love you too,” Ali replies. “Four weeks until Thanksgiving; we can do this.”

 

“It’ll be worth the wait,” Ashlyn says. She pulls Ali in for one last hug, smiling against Ali’s  hair as she melts into her embrace. “Okay, go catch your flight. Be safe and text me when you land, okay?”

 

Ali nods, wiping at her tears again. She squeezes Ashlyn’s hand one last time before grabbing the handle of her suitcase and joining Liz, Becky, and Tobin as they walk towards their flight to New York.

 

“That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Ali comments as they wait in line to board the plane.

 

“I know, honey,” Liz says gently. “Are you okay?”

 

“Yeah. It’s just temporary, right?”

 

“Right.”

 

Ali sighs, gathering herself. She smiles and thanks the flight attendants who point them to their seats, settling down next to Liz.

 

“I’m proud of you,” Liz comments once they’re airborne.

 

“For what?”

 

“For joining in, for not being afraid, for doing an amazing job, and for finally getting your girl so I don’t have to hear you bitch about so called unrequited feelings ever again.”

 

Ali laughs so hard that more tears spill from her eyes. “I’m proud of all of us,” she says. “It’s been the best year of my life.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Favorite parts? Anything you hope to see in the epilogue? 
> 
> Thanks for reading :)


	21. Chapter 21

The move to Los Angeles is about as smooth as a cross country move can get. Ali spends the week between Christmas and New Year’s in LA with Ashlyn and they spend an entire day apartment hunting, working together to narrow Ali’s choices down. Although she only plans on being there short term, with the ultimate goal of moving in with Ashlyn some time around their anniversary, she does want to find a place that feels like home, however temporary it may be. They finally settle on a two bedroom apartment just ten minutes from Ashlyn and only twenty from Kyle, almost perfectly in between the two most important people in her life.

 

“You know the best part?” Ashlyn asks as they stand in Ali’s (future) kitchen when the real estate agent give them a minute alone.

 

“What’s that?”

 

“There’s room to dance in the kitchen when I come over to make you dinner,” Ashlyn says. She raises Ali’s arm above her head, twirling her around, before pulling her into a waltz hold, stepping side to side.

 

“Hey, I’m supposed to be the one cooking for you here, you get to cook for me at your place,” Ali protests as they dance between the counter and the island.

 

“But I’m the better cook,” Ashlyn counters, dipping Ali low.

 

“Touché.”

 

Ali’s new apartment is fully furnished so moving itself is relatively stress free as she begins to pack her smaller belongings in mid January, almost exactly a year after she started packing her suitcases to go on tour. Ashlyn was right, it almost feels like they’ve gone back in time and she’s packing for that first trip out west, the one that changed everything. But instead of sending professional emails back and forth with Ashlyn about filming logistics, they FaceTime as Ali packs her belongings, discussing anything and everything.

 

“Don’t forget that little red number you wore for my birthday,” Ashlyn reminds as Ali takes everything out of her dresser.

 

Ali whips around to face her open laptop screen. “Oh,” she begins, “I would’ve thought you would want to see the new ones instead of that old thing”. She turns back around, searching in her pile of clothes, finding the sheer black pair of panties that match a lace bra she’d purchased. “Here’s a little preview,” she says, holding the thong up in front of the camera, laughing at Ashlyn’s sharp intake of breath.

 

“Dammit, Alex, now I’m gonna have to go masturbate,” Ashlyn whines.

 

“You poor baby,” Ali replies with faux sympathy. “Hey, do you know where my NYU sweatshirt is? I could’ve sworn I brought it back here after New Year’s.”

 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Ashlyn says, aiming her camera to show that she’s currently wearing the sweatshirt in question.

 

“Oh, so it did magically jump out of my suitcase,” Ali says, giving Ashlyn a pointed look.

 

“I might have stolen it,” Ashlyn admits, shrugging. “It smells like you.”

 

Ali can’t even pretend to be mad as she watches Ashlyn ball one fist into the too long sleeves, bringing it up to her nose and sniffing. After all, she’d stolen one of Ashlyn’s favorite t-shirts for the exact same reason. “Just wait until you have the real thing there,” Ali comments. She moves through her pile of clothes quickly, putting some of the most important ones into her suitcase for the plane and the rest in a moving box which will be delivered a few days after she lands.

 

Just a week shy of the anniversary of her first monumental trip to LA, Ali is back on a plane, flying towards yet another adventure. Some of it is new--the new job, a new place to live--but some of it is familiar as she gets closer and closer to Ashlyn and all the other LA based friends she’d made on tour. True to her word when they’d parted at the airport in Atlanta, Ashlyn is idling by the curb at the airport, waiting for Ali with two steaming cups of coffee in the cupholders. She doesn’t greet her with the kiss, not somewhere as public as an airport pickup zone, but instead helps Ali load her suitcases into the trunk of her SUV.

 

There’s so much that needs to get done: unpacking, car shopping, decorating the new place to make it more homey, but they can’t help themselves as Ali unlocks her new apartment for the first time, Ashlyn connecting their lips in a passionate kiss as soon as the door is closed behind them. “What a welcome,” Ali whispers, breathless after they’ve broken apart for air.

 

“I’m not done yet,” Ashlyn assures, pinning Ali back against the door. They swiftly remove each other’s clothes, eager to reconnect in the most intimate of ways.

 

Neither takes long to come, not after a few weeks apart, and soon they’ve christened the entryway and nearly the couch but Ashlyn complains about the lack of throw pillows as her back is pressed uncomfortably into the arm of the couch. “Okay, princess, we’ll go to Target later,” Ali promises, helping Ashlyn off the couch and dragging her to the bedroom.

 

“Hey, that’s your nickname,” Ashlyn complains.

 

“Shhhh,” Ali says, pressing Ashlyn down into the mattress. “I’m working here.”

 

Ashlyn’s apology turns into a moan as Ali uses her tongue and fingers in perfect tandem. All other thoughts leave Ashlyn’s mind as pleasure takes over. She melts into Ali’s touch as Ali works her body expertly, knowing exactly what she likes and dislikes. “Oh, how I’ve missed that,” she comments after she comes, Ali now next to her at the head of the bed.

 

“Me too,” Ali agrees, grinning. “But get up, we have a lot of shit to do,” she says, gently patting Ashlyn’s bare stomach. She slips out of bed, walking back towards the entryway to gather their discarded clothes. She returns to the bedroom, arms full of their clothes, to find Ashlyn still laying in bed, waiting for her return.

 

They end up completing almost everything on Ali’s checklist that first day in LA, both agreeing that car shopping can wait until the next day. They spend the night at Ali’s place, unpacking and discussing plans for the week.

 

As much as Ashlyn initially protested living apart, she comes to realize that it’s the best solution--at least for the time being. They do get to feel like more of a normal new couple and she genuinely enjoys getting to experience all those little things Ali had mentioned when they’d spoken about it. Ultimately, however, it’s Ashlyn who comes down with flu like symptoms two weeks after the move, so it’s up to Ali to make a trip to the pharmacy in the middle of the night one night before heading to Ashlyn’s place. Although she’s diligent about washing her hands and getting enough vitamin c, Ali ends up with the same symptoms just three days later, self quarantined in her own apartment as Ashlyn makes homemade chicken noodle soup in the kitchen.

 

\---

 

Just about a month after moving to LA, Ali attends the Grammy Awards as Ashlyn’s date. By this point, many fans have figured out that they’re dating and they know that they can’t hide it anymore (not that they want to, at this point). While they were on tour, fans didn’t really think all that much of the pair spending so much time together--at least not that they saw. After all, Ali was literally being paid to follow Ashlyn around. After tour, however, their relationship became increasingly obvious to the fans and media alike. Rumors first started just after New Year’s, after they’d partied with some of the band and crew members at Ashlyn’s place in LA. Ali’s presence by itself wasn’t that suspicious, as everyone knew that she became close with many people from the tour, but the couple’s body language in the pictures prompted fans to begin questioning the nature of their relationship. They were next to each other in almost every shot, Ashlyn’s hand usually resting very low on Ali’s back or hip and in a video posted just at midnight, some very attentive fans noted that they were the only two not in the room celebrating with everyone else (they happened to be making out in Ashlyn’s bed at the time, but the fans didn’t need to know that).  

 

Fan response to the revelation was largely positive, many of them offering congratulations on social media and debating the best ship names. Ali and Ashlyn try to stay as far away from these comments as possible but it is somewhat comforting to know that Ashlyn’s fans are mostly supportive.

 

The media is, well, the media. They don’t particularly care about the same things the fans care about and are generally more worried about being the first to break whatever news they think they have. As it becomes more and more obvious that Ali has won the heart of one of the world’s biggest stars, they begin digging, coming up with what fans ‘must know’ about the brunette and their relationship. The whole thing is reminiscent of the articles that ran after their first dinner together but they’re much more prepared for it this time. Under strict instruction from her publicist, Christie, not a single reporter asks Ashlyn about her current relationship status--even as Ali accompanies Ashlyn to the Grammys.

 

It’s better this way, they agree, not necessarily hiding their relationship but not speaking about it publically. It’s nobody’s business but their own and Ashlyn knows from experience that talking about it, even just once, invites more and more questions. Instead, they go about their lives as relationship as they would if they weren’t in the public eye, letting people figure things out for themselves.

 

\---

 

Ali’s six month lease comes to an end just a month after their first anniversary, which they spend in Barcelona. They revisit the living together discussion on their trip, Ali hoping more than anything that Ashlyn will ask her to move in. When she does, after Ali brings up her lease, she doesn’t hesitate for a single second. “Yes, yes, yes, a million times yes,” Ali exclaims, taking Ashlyn’s face in her hands, leaning in to kiss her deeply.

 

So for the second time in six months, Ali finds herself packing all her belongings into moving boxes. The transition happens over a few weeks, dropping boxes off each time she goes over to Ashlyn’s (and soon to be her) house.

 

“This is the last one,” Ashlyn announces, carrying in one of Ali’s boxes on the final moving day.

 

“Thank god,” Ali groans, dropping down onto the couch. It’s one of the hottest days of the year so far and both women are sweating after moving heavy boxes and furniture, despite the fact that they’re only wearing sports bras and shorts.

 

“Welcome home,” Ashlyn says, sitting down next to Ali.

 

Ali beams, looking around the spacious open concept home--their home, _her_ home. “Ugh, I’m never doing that again,” she says as her eyes fall to the many boxes at the end of the stairs.

 

“You’ll never have to,” Ashlyn promises. “I mean, unless we have too many kids to stuff into this place and we have to find somewhere bigger,” she adds.

 

Ali turns her head, grinning at the mention of them having kids together. “Babe, we have four empty bedrooms that are big enough to share, I think we’ll be okay.”

 

“Point taken,” Ashlyn replies, shrugging as she too looks around the house, picturing more of Ali’s personal touches everywhere. “We should paint and redecorate a little once you’re all settled.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

Ashlyn nods. “I’ve been thinking about redecorating for a while and I think it’ll really help make it feel like equally our place not just you moving into my place.”

 

Ali scooches closer to Ashlyn, kissing her on the cheek. “You are the sweetest,” she says. Truthfully, she hadn’t felt that awkward about moving in--it already felt so much like home--but she knows that getting to have an equal say in how it looks can only help.

 

In the coming weeks, they ultimately decide to paint and redecorate all the common spaces on the first floor, including the kitchen, and the entire master suite on the second floor. They don’t do much to the guest rooms, other than finding places for some of Ali’s old stuff, like swapping an existing comforter with her old one and hanging a few pieces of artwork on the walls. It all comes together incredibly well and as they get ready for bed in their newly finished bedroom, Ali can’t help but think of what a great idea it was to undertake this project together. “Hey,” she says as Ashlyn puts her final pile of shirts into one of their two new dressers.

 

“Yeah?” Ashlyn questions, turning around and closing the drawer.

 

“Thank you for letting me make this my place too.”

 

Ashlyn crosses the room, taking Ali in her arms. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she assures, kissing Ali’s forehead. “I love you and I’m so happy that we both get to call this place home and I can’t wait to fill this place with love and laughter and as many children as we can stand, all the things I wished my house was as a kid.”

 

“I love you so much,” Ali whispers, nuzzling into the crook of Ashlyn’s neck. “I can’t wait for any of that either but for now, I can’t wait to fill it with moans as we break in our brand new bed.”

 

\---

 

Ashlyn begins recording her new album the December after Ali moves in, with the goal of a fall release and another world tour the following year. Ali gets to hear most of the songs before they’re recorded, either as Ashlyn works on them in her music room, the music floating through the house as Ali edits footage from her newest documentary project, or when Ashlyn previews the songs for her, asking for her honest opinion. Others, like the first song she ever wrote about Ali, Ashlyn only works on when Ali is out of the house, deciding to keep them a secret until the final cut of the album is released. When Ashlyn finally plays _that_ song for Ali the night before the album release (prefacing that she wrote it three weeks after they first met), Ali is overcome with emotion and makes Ashlyn play it four more times, memorizing every detail. It’s certainly not the only song about her on the new album--in fact, many of them are--but there’s something special about the one written when she was supposed to be a temporary fixture in Ashlyn’s life rather than a guarantee. A given. A constant.

 

Both having taken on new projects, they each work long hours, often only seeing each other in the morning and at night, coming home exhausted from their days. Ali’s project wraps up in late June, right in between their second anniversary and her birthday and Ashlyn promises that they’ll take a vacation together to celebrate as soon as she’s put the finishing touches on the new album in August. She has a plan, she tells Ali, but doesn’t tell Ali where they’re going until she books their flights for late august, telling Ali to pack for a three week trip to Ireland. Ali doesn’t know it, but the first thing Ashlyn packs is an engagement ring, intending on proposing while they travel around Ireland together. They’d been talking about marriage a lot recently but Ashlyn hadn’t wanted to overshadow their anniversary or Ali’s birthday with her proposal so she’d taken her sweet ass time working on the album, playing it off as meticulousness, deciding that early September in Ireland would be the perfect time to propose. Ali literally squeals when Ashlyn tells her where they’re going. Their first time in Ireland together, over two years ago now, had been all too short and she’d talked about wanting to go back ever since, which was largely the reason Ashlyn selected it for their trip.

 

They start their journey in Dublin, driving their rental car south down the coast, stopping mostly at pre-determined stops (Ali had insisted on making an itinerary) and a few unplanned places that catch their attention. At nearly every picturesque spot, Ali wonders if this will be the place Ashlyn will propose. Of course, she could propose herself, having brought Ashlyn’s ring in her carry-on and bringing it everywhere they go on the trip, but Ashlyn had hinted that it was coming several times in the last few months so Ali waits as patiently as possible.

 

The longer the trip goes on without a ring on her finger, however, the more Ali wonders if Ashlyn plans on doing it back in LA. She probably knows that she would at least half expect it to happen here, Ali reasons with herself, and wants to surprise her when they get back home.

 

The trip is very reminiscent of the tour, just on a much smaller scale. They travel around the small country together, never spending more than a few nights in a same place as they attempt to take in as much as possible. Finally, after two and a half weeks, their trip is winding down as they visit Northern Ireland. The trip wouldn’t be complete without a trip back to Giant’s Causeway, they’d agreed when working on their itinerary, and they can’t imagine a better place to spend some of the last days of their trip. They even make the trek back to the rope bridge, taking pictures of each other as they cross, just like they did on their first trip. The island is mostly empty--it’s outside of peak tourist season--except for a small group of people at the far end looking out at the sea, all with the hoods of their windbreakers up to protect them from the strong breeze.

 

Ali first begins to suspect something is up when Ashlyn immediately leads her to the small spot where they set up their picnic blanket two years prior. Instead of looking out at the beautiful scenery, Ashlyn faces Ali, taking both of her hands. Out of the corner of her eye, Ali sees someone from the little tour group break away from the rest, standing a few yards away from them. She doesn’t look over, however, eyes locked with Ashlyn’s. “Scared?” Ali questions, feeling Ashlyn’s hands tremble in her grasp.

 

“A little,” Ashlyn admits, taking a deep breath.

 

“Don’t be.”

 

Ashlyn nods, steadying herself before she begins to speak. She’s imagined this moment countless times and in countless different ways: at home by themselves, whispering her question as the early morning light shines through their bedroom window, enveloping Ali in a heavenly glow; blurting it out over dinner one day, unable to wait any longer; in a post sex blissful haze, so entangled that her lips brush against Ali’s bare shoulder as she lists all the reasons she loves her; an elegant party with all their family and friends, a beautifully prepared speech. As soon as they started planning this trip, however, she knew she could never do it any other way. In her mind, there’s better place to formally ask for forever than in the exact spot where they’d first said ‘I love you’.

 

“You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” she begins, smiling as Ali takes a deep breath of her own. “When I first signed on for the documentary, I never expected that I would fall deeply, madly in love with the woman sent to follow me around with a camera for a year. I am so incredibly glad that I signed onto that project otherwise you would’ve fallen in love with, I don’t know, Taylor Swift or someone,” she jokes, eliciting a laugh from Ali who is now on the verge of tears. “You can’t cry or you’ll make me cry,” she chides. “Anyway, you are the most wonderful person I’ve ever known, inside and out, and I’m a better person for having you in my life. Everyday, you push me to be better and encourage me to be the best person I can be. I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone and I love you more with each and every breath I take. Alex,” she says, getting down on one knee and pulling the ring box out of her pocket. “Will you marry me?”

 

“Yes, of course I’ll marry you,” Ali says, tears streaming down her face.

 

“Yeah?” Ashlyn confirms, getting choked up as well.

 

Ali nods, holding her hand out for Ashlyn to slide her ring on, not even bothering to look at it before pulling Ashlyn up, kissing her soundly. “I love you,” she murmurs between kisses. After nearly a minute, she finally pulls back, grabbing both of Ashlyn’s hands as Ashlyn had grabbed hers minutes prior. “Now I have some stuff I want to say, ‘kay?” she asks. Ashlyn nods affirmative, so Ali attempts to gather her thoughts. “You have the biggest, most generous heart out of anyone I’ve ever met. I pitched the documentary because I wanted to advance my career and get away from everything for a little while but I never anticipated that I would end up finding the love of my life and a bunch of awesome lifelong friends along the way. You center me and keep me calm while also bringing an incredible amount of passion and excitement into my life. You are more than I ever could have dreamed of in a partner and I want nothing more than to be your wife and start a family with you.” Now she gets down on one knee, producing Ashlyn’s ring from the pocket of her jacket. “This might be a little redundant but it’s no fair for you to have all the fun; so, Ashlyn, will you marry me?”

 

“I’m gonna have to think about it, my fianceé might be pretty mad,” Ashlyn quips, earning a death glare from Ali. “Yes, every day for the rest of my life, yes I’ll marry you,” Ashlyn finally answers, watching as Ali slips a diamond band around her ring finger.

 

“We’re engaged,” Ali exclaims, finally standing back up, kissing Ashlyn again.

 

“Yes, you are,” a familiar voice says, coming up next to the newly engaged couple.

 

Ali whips her head around, seeing Kyle first before noticing that the tour group wasn’t a tour group at all as she finally sees both of their families and Whitney and Liz a few yards behind Kyle. They all rush towards the couple, offering hugs and congratulations as Ali tries to catch her breath at having so many of the most important people in her life here for this moment.

 

“My baby girl,” Deb whispers, wiping tears away from Ali’s cheeks with her thumb.

 

“I’m so happy you’re here,” Ali says, moving into her mother’s embrace.

 

“Me too, darling, me too,” Deb replies, rubbing Ali’s back.

 

After another round of congratulations, Ali and Ashlyn pose for a few pictures around the little island, their rings sparkling as the sun sets in the distance. Kyle had photographed the whole proposal (both of them, actually) and shows the couple some of the shots he captured as they walk back towards the mainland. They spend the night celebrating with their family at a local pub before heading back to the hotel for a more private celebration.

 

“Come on,” Ashlyn groans from the bed as Ali gets ready in the bathroom. “I got grey hairs coming in out here.” She closes her eyes, startled when she feels the bed move.

 

Ali, unsurprisingly, had planned ahead and packed a lingerie set deep in her suitcases, hoping they’d get engaged on this trip. She giggles as Ashlyn’s eyes go from shock to lust, almost rolling into the back of her head. “Worth the wait?” she asks innocently.

 

“Always, my love.” She leans back, enjoying the view as Ali crawls up her body, clad in a pale pink lace bra and panty set. “Shit, if that’s what you wear when we get engaged, I can’t wait to see what you wear when we get married,” she comments, putting her hands on Ali’s hips.

 

“I’m hoping it’ll make you cry more than my dress will,” Ali says suggestively. “My beautiful financeé,” she whispers, gently touching Ashlyn’s face, instantly going from sexy and suggestive to sweet and loving. They tease each other for a while, swapping positions several times as they battle for dominance. Finally, Ashlyn climbs on top of Ali, removing Ali’s bra and panties. “Hurry,” Ali whines, canting her hips up, trying to get some friction.

 

“As you wish,” Ashlyn replies, pressing her fingers into Ali. She’d wanted to tease her for a little longer but she can’t ignore her own need anymore and works quickly as she brings Ali to orgasm, whispering her love the entire time.

 

“I swear,” Ali begins as she recovers, “sex with you just gets better every time”.

 

“Well we get a lot of practice,” Ashlyn reasons, resting her head on the pillow next to Ali. Ali nudges her onto her back, sliding down towards the end of the bed, burying her face in between Ashlyn’s legs. “Oh my god,” Ashlyn exclaims as Ali eats her out, her long dark hair secured in a messy bun on top of her head. It doesn’t take long before she comes as well, Ali smirking as she wipes the back of her mouth with her hand.

 

“Pretty good way to start out engagement,” Ali notes once they’re curled up next to each other. “I still can’t believe it,” she adds, holding her left hand in front her her, admiring her ring. Ashlyn had picked a simple and elegant platinum band with a one and a half carat cushion cut solitaire diamond in the center and Ali doesn’t think she could’ve picked out a better ring for herself.

 

“Me either,” Ashlyn says, admiring her own ring. It’s about the same total carat weight as Ali’s ring but hers is made up of smaller diamonds inset into a medium width band, perfectly fitting her personal style.

 

The next evening, they announce their engagement to other friends and family via text and phone call before sending word to Ashlyn’s publicist as they attempt to figure out the best way to announce it to the world. They finally agree that a simple social media post is the best way to go so they ask Kyle to send the photos he took on his camera to select the best shot to upload. They agree that they want to keep the photos of the actual proposals to themselves and ultimately decide on posting the same shot taken during their mini photoshoot session. They’re lovingly looking into each other’s eyes in the picture, Ashlyn’s left arm draped low around Ali’s waist, holding her close, and holding Ali’s hand with her right, Ali’s ring clearly visible. Ali decides to upload the picture without a caption, letting the photo speak for itself, while Ashlyn posts it with a red heart emoji and the two girls holding hands.

 

As soon as they each upload the picture, congratulations begin streaming in from all around the world. They’d never formally announced their relationship until this point and although fans and the media aren’t necessarily shocked by the news, they’re still flooded with excited messages and comments. Unsurprisingly, they’re surrounded by paparazzi and fans almost the second they deplane in LA a few days later, everyone clamoring to get pictures of the newly engaged couple. Ashlyn had planned ahead, however, and her security detail is waiting for them just outside customs as they make their way through the crowded airport, walking hand in hand.

 

\---

 

The next year brings some of the toughest challenges they’ve had to face yet. Ali takes on a new project at the Documentary Group while Ashlyn goes on another world tour, all while trying to plan their wedding and dealing with Ashlyn’s aging grandparents moving into a senior living facility. Despite the challenges and all the months spent apart with only a few visits here and there, their relationship becomes stronger than ever as they navigate everything together, offering each other their full, unconditional support. They finally get married in LA the following spring, nearly four years after they started dating and a year and a half after becoming engaged. In an effort to maintain as much privacy as possible, the ceremony itself is fairly small and intimate but the reception is a huge, raucous affair that has everyone dancing well into the night.

 

Shortly after the wedding, Ashlyn decides to take some time away from recording and performing so they can start the family they’ve always dreamed about. Ali’s still in the middle of a long term project so although she too hopes to carry a baby one day, it makes more sense for Ashlyn to carry the first one. They welcome their first child, a boy, less than a month after their first wedding anniversary and just weeks after Ali’s project finally wraps, allowing her to take some time off to spend with her wife and newborn son.

 

“He looks so much like his beautiful mama,” Ali notes, near the verge of tears when she gets to hold him for the first time. He’s still a little fussy from being thrust out into the world but settles down considerably when the nurse finally passes him into Ali’s waiting arms, relaxing in his mother's secure and loving embrace. She gently bounces the newborn, trying to keep both their tears at bay. Despite her best efforts to remain calm, she completely loses it when he moves his little mouth the right way and she sees dimples in both of his cheeks.

 

“What’s wrong?” Ashlyn questions, fear evident in her voice as Ali starts crying.

 

Ali shakes her head, trying to stop her tears from flowing. She carefully shifts the newborn in her arms, sitting down next to Ashlyn on the small hospital bed. “He has two dimples,” she says, carefully passing him off to her wife.

 

“See? Already twice as cute as I am,” Ashlyn coos, stroking his cheek in an effort to make his smile reflexes kick in to see for herself.

 

“I’m so proud of you,” Ali says, turning to kiss Ashlyn’s still sweaty forehead.

 

“No one else I’d rather do this with than you,” Ashlyn replies, looking up from the baby long enough to kiss her wife. Ali had been so incredibly supportive through Ashlyn’s entire pregnancy and labor and she can’t imagine a better partner to undertake this new (or any) journey with.

 

\---

 

The next several years are spent expanding their family even more. Ali gives birth to their next two children, both girls, with just over two years in between each baby. They feel as if their family is complete, discussing maybe adding one more child, until the spring their son turns seven when a social worker friend inquires about their interest level in fostering and adopting. Child Protective Services had recently permanently removed a set of siblings from their birth mother’s home, determining that she was unfit to care for two young children. They couldn’t find any family able to take the six year old boy and seven month old baby girl so they were about to enter the foster system. She hands them a picture of the children, promising that they can take their time deciding as the children are in a temporary living situation.

 

They talk about it at length that night, the pros and cons of taking in two more children, of instantly becoming a family of seven. They avoid looking at the picture for as long as possible, wanting to come to the decision on their own before they look. As they weigh the good and bad, they ultimately keep coming back to the fact that they have the means and the love (and a really good nanny) to care for them the way children deserve to be cared for. It’s harder for siblings to get adopted and they know that they could save these children from a lifetime of being bounced between various foster homes. In the end, the decision isn’t all that difficult and they finally look at the picture as they’re on the phone with their friend, inquiring about how to move forward.

 

First, they get licensed to foster children so the kids can be placed with them as soon as possible while they work on the adoption papers. After finally getting cleared to bring the kids home with them, Ali and Ashlyn head down to the social work office to pick them up and bring them home for the first time.

 

“Welcome home,” Ali says cheerfully as they pull into the driveway.

 

“We get to live in a castle?” Oliver asks, eyes wide as Ashlyn helps him out of his car seat.

 

“Yep,” Ashlyn replies, taking the boy’s hand as Ali gets the baby carrier out of the back seat. “You remember your new brother and sisters?” she questions as she leads him up to the front door, earning a nod from the excited six year old. “They’re inside waiting for you.”

 

As expected, when she swings the door open, all three kids and the nanny are anxiously waiting in the foyer, the kids all rushing towards their mothers and new siblings as soon as they see them.

 

“She’s so cute,” their oldest daughter, five year old Norah, exclaims as soon as she sees her new little sister.

 

“Go sit on the couch and you can hold her,” Ali says, grinning at her oldest daughter’s excitement. One of the things they’d worried about most before they agreed to this was how it would impact their other children. It’s a huge change, bringing two new kids into the home, especially when one instantly becomes their second oldest. But Ali and Ashlyn had spoken to them about it before finalizing anything, putting it in terms that were easy for kids to understand. Both Wyatt and Norah understood a little of what their mothers were explaining and seemed excited about the prospect while two year old Abigail seemed disinterested with the whole thing, more worried about playing with her toys. The children had all met for the first time at the park a few weeks prior to bringing them home and had hit it off extremely well as they ran around together, the social worker mentioning that this was a huge positive step for their case.

 

“We did good,” Ashlyn whispers later during a family movie night. She and Ali are curled up on the couch, the baby sleeping peacefully in her arms.

 

“We did,” Ali replies, glancing around at the kids all spread out on the floor and couches and the baby in her wife’s arms. “This is it though, I mean it,” she says sternly.

 

Ashlyn stifles a laugh, not wanting to interrupt the relative quiet in the living room. “Really? I thought we were gonna take in like eight more kids,” she jokes.

 

“Bite your tongue,” Ali scoffs.

 

\---

 

One thing becomes painfully obvious with five kids in the house: they need more space. With the nanny taking up one bedroom, All five kids have to share three bedrooms and although there’s enough room for all of them, both women agree that it would be much better for each kid to have their own room, especially as they grow up and want more privacy. Their desire for a bigger house is put on hold, however, as their entire focus is on the adoption process so they can officially welcome Oliver and Victoria (nicknamed Rory by three year old Abigail who couldn’t quite pronounce the baby’s name) as permanent members of the family. Fittingly, the adoption process is finalized just before Christmas so their family Christmas card takes on new significance that year as they take the opportunity to announce the finalized adoption to their family and friends. They send their traditional christmas photo, everyone in matching red and green sweaters, along with a special adoption announcement to everyone on their mailing list.

 

Much like everything else, Christmas with five children is absolutely chaotic. Both of their families fly out to LA to celebrate the holiday after Ali and Ashlyn were adamant that they wanted to spend their first major holiday post-adoption at home instead of flying with across the country with five children and countless presents (nobody could argue with that).

 

The kids are beside themselves with all the attention they get over the holidays, having so many adults around to dote on them as they show off all their new toys and clothes. The holiday has special meaning for Oliver and Rory as it’s their first real Christmas in their lives, having never really been given presents by their birth mom.

 

“I wish I could live in this moment forever,” Ashlyn comments that afternoon as the kids try out their new toys all around the living room. “Ollie’s face at the presents is easily the best gift of the day; I’m so glad you set up the camera so we can watch it whenever we want.”

 

Later, Ali is upstairs changing Rory’s diaper on Christmas night when Oliver walks into the room, dressed for the night in his brand new pajamas. “Thank you, mommy,” he says for what might be the hundredth time that day, wrapping his arms around Ali’s legs.

 

“You’re welcome, Ollie,” Ali replies, moving Rory to the center of the bed and crouching down to the boy’s level. “I love you,” she says, pulling him into a hug.

 

“I’m so happy you’re my mommy,” he says. “And mama too,” he adds. “I didn’t like my old mommy but you and mama are the best mommies.”

 

“I’m so happy you’re my son,” Ali says, near tears at his confession. He’s been pretty resilient since first entering foster care earlier this year, but sometimes he mentions things about his birth mother that make Ali and Ashlyn’s blood boil. Those references have lessened over the eight months he’s been with them so his moms and child psychologist think he’s going to be just fine. “And I’m so happy that Rory is my daughter and that we all get to be a family. Did you have a good Christmas?”

 

Oliver nods vigorously, immediately beginning to talk about all the cool presents he received. Rory begins to fuss a little as he talks, ready for her nighttime bottle, so Ali gently lifts her off the bed and carries her downstairs. Oliver follows at her heels, continuing to talk about his new toys, until he finds Wyatt playing with their new super hero action figures, joining his big brother on the living room floor.

 

Later, after all the kids are in bed and their families have returned to the hotel, Ali gives Ashlyn a special little christmas gift of her own, taking full advantage of the fact that all the kids had passed out nearly two hours earlier than normal after a long and exciting day. Even after all these years, intimacy between the two women is anything but lacking as they take every opportunity they can to show their love and appreciation for one another. Sure, it’s nowhere near as frequent as before they had kids, but they’re just as passionate and attracted to one another as they were during their early, child free years.

 

\---

 

Their neighbor’s house goes on sale just after Valentine’s Day and Ali and Ashlyn jump at the chance to purchase the larger home. Although it’s on the same street as their home, it’s much more spacious with two extra bedrooms and a fully equipped guest house and pool in the back yard. The extra rooms and guest house will allow each child to have their own room, still leaving one room as a guest room as they let the nanny move into the guest house for a semblance of privacy, although the kids still constantly bang down her door wanting to play, even when she’s supposed to have time off. As an added bonus, the kids get to stay in the same school and they get to keep their familiar neighbors, including the Pughs who still live just across the street.

 

“Did you ever think that this would be our life?” Ashlyn asks as they settle into bed for the first night in their new house.

 

Ali shakes her head. “Not when we first got together, no,” she admits. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ve got my wife, a whole mess of kids, and we all share a beautiful home. What could be better?”

 

Ashlyn pretends to think for a moment, although they both know the answer. “Nothing.”

 

“Exactly.”

 

“I love you, Alex,” Ashlyn whispers as she begins to fall asleep, tired from spending the entire day moving into their new home.

 

“I love you too, Ash. I love you and the kids more than anything in the whole world."

 

\---

 

Years later, when their attention spans are longer and they can handle some of the more unsavory tour moments, Ali and Ashlyn show their kids the documentary that started it all. They’d always known this was how their moms met but they had never actually seen the documentary itself. They all watch attentively, amazed at how young their moms were, and often make fun of various outfits and hairstyles.

 

Prior to showing the documentary, Ali and Ashlyn had discussed whether or not they should skip over the Japan episode, wondering if that would be too much for their children to know. As far as they’re aware, the kids don’t even know about the pictures and they wonder if they should shield them from the knowledge of them. Their youngest is sixteen so they ultimately decide that they’re all old enough to know what happened, as long as they explain that photos like that can have serious consequences.

 

Needless to say, they’re all shocked when they finally get to the episode and read the black and white text on screen which explains the situation. They have tons of questions when it’s over and Ali and Ashlyn answer them honestly, using it as a teachable moment. Everyone makes it through the Japan episodes relatively untraumatized and both Ali and Ashlyn breathe a sigh of relief as the next episode starts.

 

They watch the series over several months, only watching when everyone is together which happens less and less often these days, much to Ali and Ashlyn’s dismay. By the time they get to the European episodes, all the kids make fun of the way Ashlyn looks at Ali as she answers her questions.

 

“Mama, why did you wait so long to ask mom out?” Nineteen year old Abigail questions when they finally get to the Paris episode. The episode, like the rest of the documentary, doesn’t cover their relationship but they all knew that their parents started dating during the Paris stop.

 

Ashlyn sighs, thinking back to all the times she’d wanted to ask Ali out but got scared at the last second. “I thought she wouldn’t like me back and I didn’t want to ruin our friendship.”

 

“Well you still did a pretty good job of ruining it,” Norah quips, pointing to her parents’ joined hands.

 

“Hey, mom is still my best friend,” she defends, bringing their hands up to her lips, pressing a kiss to Ali’s.

 

“Don’t let Whitney hear you say that,” Oliver comments, eliciting a laugh from both his moms.

 

They all turn their attention back to the TV, reading between the lines in one talking head where Ashlyn says that the Paris stop has been the best stop of the tour so far, unable to control her grin as she looks at the camera.

 

Neither Ali nor Ashlyn has seen the documentary in many, many years so there are a lot of things even they’d forgotten about (or intentionally blocked out in some cases) and watching it through their children’s eyes adds a whole other dimension to the re-watch. They spend a lot of time reminiscing about things they see on screen. Ashlyn still toured fairly often (though much less frequently than before) when the kids were young, so they listen in delight as the kids recount some of their own funny tour memories, such as the time six year old Abigail--perched on Ali’s hip--threw up in a stranger’s hair on the London Eye, their recent dinner not agreeing with her and coming right back up as the gigantic ferris wheel rotated. Ali and Ashlyn were absolutely  mortified, apologizing profusely, while the rest of the kids stood nearby, trying to stifle their giggles. As embarrassing as it was at the time, the memory now causes everyone in the family to laugh so hard that they have to pause the episode as tears roll down their faces.

 

A favorite moment of the series comes during the domestic tour, when Ashlyn interviews Ali on the tour bus. Until this point, Ali has been behind the camera most of the time, so they love any part that shows her, especially as Ashlyn turns the tables and interviews her.

 

“Mom, you were gorgeous,” Rory compliments, seeing a nearly 30 years younger Ali on screen.

 

“Thank you, honey,” Ali replies, grinning. “You’re gorgeous too, my sweet baby girl,” she says, reaching across to the other couch to squeeze her youngest’s hand.

 

“She’s still gorgeous,” Ashlyn notes, leaning in for a kiss, ignoring the kids as they groan.

 

By the time they finish the final episode, everyone is reluctant for the series to end, much like Ali and Ashlyn’s younger selves on the screen, expressing how sad they are that tour is over.

 

“It’s so weird,” Wyatt begins once the final credits appear on screen, “none of us would be sitting here right now if it weren’t for the documentary”.

 

“Best project pitch of my life,” Ali declares, looking around at her family lovingly.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I really appreciate all of your comments and kudos throughout this story especially since it was my first chapter fic. I'm sad to see this one end but I'm very excited about the next one and I hope you'll read that one too. 
> 
> One last time: favorite parts (epilogue specific or just in general)?


End file.
